Sri Lanka pitches Saudi investors for new investment partnerships

Sri Lanka is reaching out to Saudi Arabia to secure increased investment and enhance trade ties, as stated by Ports and Civil Aviation Minister Anura Karunathilaka, who was the chief guest at Saudi Arabia's 96th National Day celebrations in Colombo. The minister emphasized Sri Lanka's desire to explore new areas of economic cooperation with the Kingdom and generate fresh opportunities for Saudi investors and businesses, aligning with Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 agenda.

Karunathilaka also highlighted that Sri Lanka had benefited from Saudi Arabia's concessional financing of approximately Saudi Riyals 1.5 billion for 13 projects since 1981, covering key sectors such as energy, healthcare, education, drinking water, and infrastructure. He expressed a willingness to build upon these existing projects by opening additional avenues for Saudi investment.

The minister noted the strong people-to-people connections between the two nations, stating that around 250,000 Sri Lankans currently reside and work in Saudi Arabia. Karunathilaka acknowledged Saudi Arabia's ongoing support for Sri Lanka, particularly in facilitating Hajj and Umrah pilgrimages for Sri Lankan Muslims. He conveyed appreciation to the Saudi government for the facilities provided to these pilgrims.

The Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia to Sri Lanka, represented by Chargé d’Affaires Yaser Abdulrahman Al-Hazme, reiterated the embassy's commitment to bolstering bilateral relations through political, economic, and cultural communication. Al-Hazme expressed gratitude to the government and people of Sri Lanka for their efforts in strengthening ties between the two countries and thanked them for their constructive cooperation, which has contributed to deepening the friendship and partnership between the Kingdom and Sri Lanka on this significant national occasion.