The appointment followed a double victory in the General Election, where his constituency of Matara, was one of two seats the United National Party secured in the Southern Province. It was also the sole constituency where the UNP prevailed in the Matara district. He also nearly doubled his preference votes from 2010.

This is the third time Minister Samaraweera will hold the portfolio, having held it for the first time between November 2005 and January 2007, and for the second time between January 2015 and August 2015.

After the ceremony, Minister Samaraweera said that he would “build, with even greater vigour, on the tremendous goodwill the international community extended to Sri Lanka after the January 8 revolution”, adding that, “this intensification of engagement and strengthening of relations will be made possible by the political stability arising from the decisive mandate given by the people in the general election”.

He said that he would “place economic diplomacy at the centre of Sri Lanka’s foreign affairs - focusing on promoting trade, tourism and investment”. Minister Samaraweera also noted that “restructuring the Foreign Ministry and the rationalization of Sri Lanka’s diplomatic missions abroad was an urgent priority”.