{
  "id": 9496952,
  "title": "Sri Lanka seeks to deepen ties with Qatar, strengthen opportunities for workers: Deputy Minister",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/24/sri-lanka-seeks-to-deepen-ties-with-qatar-strengthen-opportunities",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-24T05:24:41.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Peninsula Qatar",
    "slug": "the-peninsula-qatar",
    "url": "https://thepeninsulaqatar.com/article/24/09/2026/sri-lanka-seeks-to-deepen-ties-with-qatar-strengthen-opportunities-for-workers-deputy-minister"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Doha, Qatar: Sri Lanka is keen to deepen its ties with Qatar, exploring opportunities beyond foreign employment, according to Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Employment H E Arun Hemachandra. During his visit to Qatar, Hemachandra described his meetings as \"overall very successful\" and highlighted the importance of continued high-level exchanges between the two nations. The two countries, marking 50 years of diplomatic relations, emphasized the need to expand cooperation into investment, development assistance, maritime and aviation connectivity, and energy security. Hemachandra met with key officials, including the Minister of Labour and the Undersecretary, and discussed the welfare of Sri Lankan workers and ways to expand employment opportunities, particularly skilled employment, aligning with Qatar National Vision 2030. Both nations are focusing on skilled employment, with Sri Lanka prioritizing training, testing, and recruitment. The Deputy Minister expressed interest in the IT sector in Qatar and developing skilled employment pathways in other countries, including Japan and South Korea. Sri Lanka also aims to attract Qatari investment, development assistance, and other forms of cooperation, alongside the existing employment relationship. Key areas of cooperation include foreign employment, maritime and aviation connectivity, and energy security. Hemachandra urged Sri Lankan migrant workers to follow laws and regulations, seek assistance through official channels, and be cautious of potential exploitation by intermediaries.",
  "summary": "<p>Doha, Qatar: Sri Lanka and Qatar enjoy a “very smooth” relationship with Colombo keen to take bilateral ties to the next level by expanding cooperation beyond foreign employment into investment, development assistance, maritime and aviation connectivity and energy security, Sri Lanka’s Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Employment H E Arun Hemachandra has said.</p> <p>In an…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}