List of international presidential trips made by Maithripala Sirisena

Maithripala Sirisena served as the 7th President of Sri Lanka from 9 January 2015 to 18 November 2019. This article documents all international presidential trips made by Sirisena during his term in office.

Summary of international trips

During his term, Maithripala Sirisena made 47 foreign trips to 29 countries. Sirisena never visited South America.

No. of visitsCountry6 India4 United States3 Japan, Thailand, United Kingdom2 China, Pakistan, Singapore1 Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Cambodia, France, Germany, Georgia, Indonesia, Iran, Italy, Kenya, Maldives, Malta, Malaysia, Nepal, Philippines, Qatar, Russia, Seychelles, South Korea, Tajikistan, Vatican City

2015 Maithripala Sirisena made 10 trips to 10 countries in the year 2015.

CountryAreas visitedDate(s)Purpose(s)NotesNew Delhi 15–18 February State visit The first overseas visit made by President Maitripala Sirisena, on the invitation of Indian prime minister Narendra Modi.London 7–11 March Official visit Visited the UK as Chair in Office of the Commonwealth as part of Commonwealth Day celebrations. Met with Queen Elizabeth II, Prime Minister David Cameron, Leader of the Opposition Ed Miliband and Defense Secretary Michael Fallon.BeijingBoao26–29 March Asia Annual Conference and state visit President Maithripala Sirisena visited China on the invitation of President of China Xi Jinping. President Sirisena also participated in the 2015 Asia Annual Conference in Boao.IslamabadTaxila Museum5–7 AprilState visit At the invitation of President Mamnoon Hussain and Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif of Pakistan, President Maithripala Sirisena paid a State visit to Pakistan. Sirisena visited the Taxila Museum, which hosts many statues of Buddha.Malé26–27 JulyState visit At the invitation of President Abdulla Yameen, President Sirisena was invited as chief guest of the 50th National Independence Day ceremony of the Maldives. New York City 10–23 September United Nations General Assembly and bilateral meetings To attend the 70th United Nations General Assembly session, where he delivered a special address. Sirisena also held bilateral meetings with several leaders including Prime Minister of Malta Dr. Joseph Muscat, Prime Minister of Pakistan Nawaz Sharif, Prime Minister of New Zealand John Key and Prime Minister of Australia Malcolm Turnbull.Bangkok1–4 November State visit At the invitation of Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha.Valletta27–29 November Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting 2015 Attended the 2015 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM). Paris 29 November–1 December 2015 United Nations Climate Change Conference Attended the 2015 United Nations Climate Change Conference. Vatican City 13–16 DecemberState visit At the invitation of Sovereign Pope Francis.

2016 Maithripala Sirisena made 12 trips to 9 countries during the year 2016.

CountryAreas visitedDate(s)Purpose(s)NotesBerlin 15–18 February State visit At the invitation of the German chancellor Angela Merkel. Met with the president of Germany Joachim Gauck to further strengthen the economic and trade co-operation between the two countries. Sirisena visited the German Parliament and met with representatives of the Parliament and held bilateral discussions with the German Foreign Minister and the Minister of German Economic Affairs.Vienna 18–21 February State visit Held talks with the Federal President Heinz Fischer at the Hofburg at the Presidential Palace, improving relations between the two countries.Singapore 27 February Private visit To visit Health Minister Rajitha Senaratne, who was receiving medical treatment.London 11–13 May London Anti-Corruption Summit Attend the Anti-Corruption Summit organised by the British government, at the invitation of British prime minister David Cameron. Held bilateral discussions with Prime Minister Cameron during the summit.New DelhiMadhya Pradesh 13–15 May State visit Invited by Indian prime minister Narendra Modi to attend and address the valedictory session at the Vaicharick Mahakumbh, held as part of the Simhastha Mahakumbh in Ujjain. Held discussions on issues of Tamil Nadu fishermen with Prime Minister Modi, as well as talks on reconciliation in Sri Lanka and trade. Sirisena also visited the Sanchi Stupa and attend a function by the Maha Bodhi Society of Sri Lanka where he unveiled a statue of Anagarika Dharmapala.Kashiko Island, Shima, Mie Prefecture 26–27 May Group of Seven (G7) Invited by Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe. Sirisena attended the summit in Japan. He also met with US president Barack Obama and other G7 leaders. New York City 18–26 September United Nations General Assembly & bilateral meetings To attend the 71st United Nations General Assembly session, where he delivered a special address. Sirisena had bilateral meetings with several leaders including United States Secretary of State John Kerry and Prime Minister of Australia Malcolm TurnbullBangkok7–10 October Asia Corporation Dialogue Summit Attend the 34 nation summit. Apart from attending the conference, President Sirisena held several bilateral meetings with state leaders, including Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-o-cha.Goa15–17 October BRICS Invited by Indian prime minister Narendra Modi to attend and address the attend the BRICS- BIMSTEC outreach summit. Held talks with Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Myanmar's foreign minister Aung San Suu Kyi as well as the presidents of Russia and China.Bangkok31 October Funeral of Bhumibol Adulyadej Attend the Funeral of King Bhumibol Adulyadej, King of Thailand, and pay respects on behalf of the people of Sri Lanka.New Delhi 6–7 November World Health Organization Conference of Parties to the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control. Met with Indian president Pranab Mukherjee.Kuala Lumpur 15–17 December State visit Held talks with the Prime Minister Najib Razak, improving relations between the two countries by signing several bilateral MOUs. Also met with King of Malaysia Muhammad V of Kelantan.

2017 Maithripala Sirisena made 7 trips to 7 countries in the year 2017.

CountryAreas visitedDate(s)Purpose(s)Notes Jakarta 6–8 MarchState visit At the invitation of the Indonesian president Joko Widodo and to attend the 20th Anniversary Summit of the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA). Moscow 21–26 MarchState visit On the invitation extended by Russian president Vladimir Putin. This was the first visit to Russia by a Sri Lankan President. Canberra 23–26 MayState visit Special invitation extended by Australian prime minister Malcolm Turnbull. Dhaka 13–15 JulyState visit President Sirisena was invited by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for an official 3 day visit. New York City 17–23 September United Nations General Assembly & bilateral meetings To attend the Seventy-second session of the United Nations General Assembly, where he delivered a special address. Sirisena also held bilateral meetings with several leaders. Doha 25–27 October State visit Invited by Emir of Qatar Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani for an official 2 day visit. Seoul 27–30 November State visit President Sirisena was invited by Korean President Moon Jae-in for a state visit.

2018 Maithripala Sirisena made 10 trips to 10 countries in 2018.

CountryAreas visitedDate(s)Purpose(s)Notes New Delhi 10–12 March International Solar Alliance Participated in the International Solar Alliance on the invitation of Indian prime minister Narendra Modi and French president Emmanuel Macron.TokyoHiroshima 12–15 March State visit Sirisena met with Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko and held bilateral discussions with the Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe. Islamabad 22–24 March State visit To attend the Pakistan Republic Day celebrations as chief guest on an invitation extended by Pakistan President Mamnoon Hussain. London 16–23 April Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting 2018 To attend the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting 2018. President Sirisena met with the UK's Secretary of State for International Trade Liam Fox, member of the British House of Lords Lord Baron Naseby.Tehran 12–14 May State visit On invitation of Iranian president Hassan Rouhani, whom he met as well as Supreme Leader of Iran Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Rome 15–17 July Committee on ForestryTo attend the 24th session of the Committee on Forestry (COFO) and the 6th World Forest Week. Tbilisi 17–20 July Open Government Partnership To attend the 5th Session of Open Government Partnership. President Sirisena also held a bilateral meeting with the Georgian president Giorgi Margvelashvili.KathmanduLumbini 29 August–1 September BIMSTEC To attend the 4th Summit of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multisectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC). The president also met with the leaders of Nepal and Myanmar.New York City 23–29 September United Nations General Assembly & bilateral meetings To address to the 73rd Session of the United Nations General Assembly. Met with Malaysian prime minister Mahathir Mohamad. Victoria 8–10 October State visit Official visit on the invitation of Seychelles President Danny Faure.

2019 Maithripala Sirisena made 8 trips to 8 countries in the year 2019.

CountryAreas visitedDate(s)Purpose(s)NotesMetro ManilaLos Baños 15–19 January State visit State visit to discuss bilateral relations, focusing on areas of mutual interest, including political, economic, agriculture, cultural and people-to-people engagement with his Philippine counterpart, President Rodrigo Duterte. Sirisena also visited the Asian Development Bank (ADB), and the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) in Los Baños. Singapore 23–25 January 3rd Forum of Ministers and Environment Authorities of Asia Pacific To deliver the Keynote address at the Third Forum of Ministers and Environment Authorities of Asia Pacific. Also held bilateral discussions with the President and Prime Minister of Singapore. Nairobi 13–17 March United Nations Environment Assembly To attend the United Nations Environment Assembly. President Sirisena also meet with President Uhuru Kenyatta. Beijing 13–15 May Conference on Dialogue of Asian Civilizations To attend the Conference on Dialogue of Asian Civilizations. President Sirisena also met with Chinese president Xi Jinping. New Delhi 30–31 May Inauguration of Narendra Modi To attend the inauguration ceremony of the second term of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Dushanbe 13–15 June 2019 Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia To attend the 2019 Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia. President Sirisena had bilateral meeting with President of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon and delivered a special lecture at the heads of state conference on 15 June. Phnom PenhAngkor 7–10 August State visit On the invitation of King Norodom Sihamoni, with the aim of further strengthening bilateral relations between the two countries. Met with Prime Minister Hun Sen as well.Tokyo 21–23 October Enthronement of Japanese emperor To attend the enthronement of the new Japanese emperor. President Sirisena also had a meeting with former Japanese prime minister Yasuo Fukuda.

Cancelled visits CountryAreas that were to be visitedDate(s)Purpose(s)Notes Islamabad November 2016 SAARC Summit Summit cancelled. Tehran November/December 2016, January 2017 State visit Visit cancelled. The two presidents met during the Asian Cooperation Dialogue Summit in Bangkok. Dhaka 26 March 2017 State visit Visit cancelled. Sirisena was invited to be the chief guest at the country's Independence Day celebrations.

Multilateral meetings participated in by Sirisena