Ranil Wickremesinghe UK visit was made on an official University of Wolverhampton invitation, not at the invitation of the UK government.
The Ranil Wickremesinghe UK visit was made on an official invitation from the University of Wolverhampton, the university has reaffirmed.
The institution said the former Sri Lankan President travelled to the United Kingdom at the university’s request. It also clarified that the invitation did not come from the UK government.
The University of Wolverhampton further highlighted the distinction between an official visit and a state visit.
During a state visit, the United Kingdom covers all expenses from the moment the invited leader leaves the aircraft until departure.
A state visit also takes place only following an invitation from a head of state.
According to the university’s explanation, the UK has granted Sri Lanka the opportunity for a state visit only once. That occurred during the presidency of former President Ranasinghe Premadasa.
Separately, the United States of America granted former President J.R. Jayawardene a state visit.
The clarification therefore distinguishes the Ranil Wickremesinghe UK visit from a state visit while reaffirming that the university itself extended the official invitation.
