President Rajapaksa congratulates Australian prime minister-elect

Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has congratulated the Australian prime minister-elect, Anthony Albanese on winning the election and said the government is looking forward to working with him.

“I congratulate Anthony Albanese, the newly elected Prime Minister of Australia.” 

“The Government of Sri Lanka and I look forward to working closely with you to maintain and further strengthen the bilateral ties between our two nations,” the President tweeted.

The Labor leader won the Federal Election late on Saturday evening after incumbent Prime Minister Scott Morrison called his opponent to concede defeat.

Mr Albanese - who promised to bring the nation together and “promote unity and optimism, not fear and division” - is expected to be sworn in as Australia’s 31st prime minister on Monday along with four of his caucus members.