UAE investors eye Sri Lanka ports, logistics, food security and technology opportunities

UAE ministers are eyeing Sri Lanka's ports, logistics, food security and technology opportunities for investment, according to recent reports. Port City Colombo and Trincomalee Port are among the key projects being approached by investors, with a focus on expanding the country's trade relationship, which reached $1.1 billion in 2025.

Dr Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, UAE Minister of Foreign Trade, highlighted logistics and free zones as promising investment pathways for UAE businesses. The development of Port City Colombo has already been presented to the UAE business community, with opportunities spanning port-related projects and a special economic zone. Sri Lanka's wider investment proposition includes technology, tourism, manufacturing, and reconstruction, with opportunities in all sectors.

Bilateral non-oil trade between the UAE and Sri Lanka has grown by 5.2% from 2024, with the UAE ranking among the country's top four trading partners. Sri Lanka is also seeking UAE investment in agriculture, with potential investors interested in producing food in Sri Lanka and exporting it back to the UAE. Information technology and pharmaceuticals are among the other sectors being targeted by Sri Lanka for investment from UAE companies.

Both officials emphasized measures to improve the framework for foreign investment, including the 2024 Investment Promotion Act and the bilateral investment treaty signed in February 2025.