An Ethiopian media report said, on January 14, the country's president, Taye Atske Selassie, held a farewell meeting with Kumarasiri following the completion of his diplomatic tenure.

During the meeting, the departing ambassador highlighted the strong ties between Sri Lanka and Ethiopia that expanded in key sectors such as energy, agriculture, and tourism.

He noted the countries have many opportunities to further strengthen their relations and mentioned the ongoing talks with Ethiopian Airlines for direct flights to Colombo in this regard.

Kumarasiri said the launch of direct flights between the countries would create significant opportunities to deepen bilateral ties and expand trade, air cargo services, tourism, and cooperation in sectors such as energy.

Ethiopian Airlines currently serves 8 destinations in South Asia, including Dhaka in Bangladesh, Karachi in Pakistan, and Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Chennai, and Ahmedabad in India. Launching direct flights to Colombo will mark the city as Ethiopian's ninth destination in the region.