How private is a “private” visit?

THE arrest and remand of a former President Ranil Wickremesinghe on allegations that public funds were misused to pay for a stop in London connected to a university event involving his spouse has sparked fierce public debate. At the time of compiling this report the issue has gone far beyond Colombo. This is evident from the statements coming from many individuals outside of Sri Lanka. At stake is a universal question: what does “private” really mean when it comes to the travel of national leaders, and who should bear the costs when personal and official obligations overlap?

- By P.M. Amza

Around the world, governments grapple with this tension. Citizens expect their leaders to represent the state abroad, and such representation inevitably carries expenses—aircraft, security, protocol staff, accommodation.

Yet the same leaders are human beings with families, health needs, and private lives. They attend weddings, anniversaries, funerals, in this case attending an academic event of the spouse. When these personal matters require international travel, the dividing line between public duty and private benefit can blur dangerously. The current case in Sri Lanka demonstrates how easily that line, if not clearly drawn, can unravel into legal action and political scandal.

Defining the categories

International practice has long recognised distinctions among state, official, working, and private visits. State visits, typically the highest form of diplomatic exchange, are ceremonial occasions undertaken at the invitation of the host head of state. They involve full honours, carefully choreographed programs, and significant expense, usually borne in part by the host Government. Official visits, often undertaken by presidents, prime ministers or ministers without the full panoply of state ceremony, are still formal and publicly funded. Working visits are more modest, usually arranged around negotiations, summits, or bilateral meetings; these too are covered by public funds because they serve the Government’s business. But private visits, whether for rest, medical treatment, or family affiliated events, are considered personal. With the exception of protective security, they are not generally funded from the public purse.