SLITBC of Ceylon Chamber of Commerce welcomes Rita Giuliana Mannella
The newly appointed Italian Ambassador to Sri Lanka Rita Giuliana Mannella was ushered by the Sri Lanka business community at the gala Members Annual Fellowship 2018 held on December 11, 2018, at the Hilton Colombo Residencies.
The Members Annual Fellowship facilitated by the Sri Lanka Italy Business Council (SLITBC) of the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce enabled the Sri Lankan corporate executives to get to know the new ambassador and also share and exchange views for further development of trade between Sri Lanka and Italy.
SLITBC President Sonali Liyanamana introduced Mannella with a brief profile stating: “After graduating in Law at the University of Pisa, Ambassador Rita Giuliana Mannella joined the Diplomatic service, working on multilateral economic issues, human rights, development cooperation and the fight against hunger.”
After serving in New Delhi as First Secretary (Commercial), she subsequently served in New York as Consul and then in Rome, at the Permanent Representation to the UN Rome based Agencies.
Prior to coming to Sri Lanka, Mannella worked with the Director General for Development Cooperation as Director for Communication and Visibility.
Mannella, addressing a distinguished gathering of over 60 business corporates said that she looks forward to working with the Sri Lankan business community in strengthening existing business and economic relationship with Sri Lanka as well as identifying new areas to work in.
She further reiterated the potential to improve economic and business relationships between the two countries and pledged her full support to the Sri Lanka Italy Business Council to harness it.
She highlighted the fact that there are many Italian businesses in Sri Lanka (not only in Colombo), and a large population of Sri Lankans in many cities in Italy; and that co-operation with these diaspora, in many sectors, can be mutually beneficial.
The Sri Lanka Italy Business Council operates under the aegis of the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce, promotes twoway trade between Sri Lanka and Italy in maintaining and fostering a harmonious business relationship between the two countries.