Sri Lanka (Commonwealth) _The Embassy of Sri Lanka in Riyadh, in accordance with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Sri Lanka’s Economic Diplomacy Initiative, successfully held a forum to promote trade, investment, and tourism at the Ashqariya Chamber of Commerce in the Eastern Province of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
A catalog displays highlighting Sri Lanka’s export goods and services, as well as potential business prospects and tourist destinations for the Saudi market, was held after the event.
Ameer Ajwad, the ambassador of Sri Lanka to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, gave the inaugural address. He recalled the long-standing commercial and trade relations between Saudi Arabia and Sri Lanka and emphasized the many trade and investment opportunities for private sector cooperation in both nations.
Additionally, Ambassador Ameer Ajwad noted the historical people-to-people interactions between Saudi Arabia and Sri Lanka and urged Saudi travel and tourist firms to take advantage of Sri Lanka’s thriving tourism sector. Despite this, the ambassador conveyed his appreciation for the Ashqariya Chamber of Commerce’s unwavering backing of the Sri Lankan Embassy in Riyadh.
The ambassador emphasized that the frequently updated information-sharing forums like this one, along with the exchange of bilateral visits from both countries, would help close the gap and open the door for more business-to-business (B2B) interactions given the obvious lack of awareness of the opportunities available to the private sectors in both countries.
With first-hand knowledge of trade, investment, and tourism prospects in Sri Lanka, the forum included in-depth presentations from important Sri Lankan organizations, including the Board of Investment of Sri Lanka (BOI), Export Development Board (EDB), Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau, and Colombo Port City.
Chairman of the Sri Lanka Export Development Board, Mangala Wijesinghe, participated remotely and offered insights on Sri Lanka’s varied export potential, highlighting important industries for Saudi companies. Then, Market Development Division Acting Director Saumya Kannangara gave a thorough presentation on each of these industries.
Buddhika Hewawasem, the chairman of the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau, gave an in-depth explanation of the country’s distinctive tourism attractions, emphasizing the recent endorsements of internationally renowned travel publications that named Sri Lanka the “most desirable island” for tourists.
Prasanjith Wijayatilake, executive director of the Board of Investment of Sri Lanka, described the benefits offered to Saudi investors as well as the investment potential in Sri Lanka across a number of sectors.
Port City Colombo (PCC), a multi-service Special Economic Zone and 269 hectares of reclaimed land from the sea, offers rich investment potential. Colombo Port City Executive Director Shalaka Wijeyaratne highlighted these opportunities.
Being the first of its type, the event drew a lot of Saudi business leaders and gave Saudi attendees a chance to learn about the many opportunities in Sri Lanka’s trade, investment, and tourism sectors.
The meeting ended with a successful catalog show that showcased a wide variety of goods and services from Sri Lankan enterprises, allowing Saudi companies to interact directly with their Sri Lankan counterparts and discuss potential joint ventures.
Before the event started, Ambassador Ameer Ajwad had a fruitful bilateral meeting with Dr. Bader S. AlReziza, the chairman of the Ashqariya Chamber, together with Secretary General AbdulRahman bin Abdullah Al-Wabel and Vice Chairman Hamad Alamar. Mohamed Anas, Minister/Head of Chancery, and Tashma, First Secretary (Trade).
Many Saudi business figures attended the event, which gave them a chance to learn more about Sri Lanka’s trade, investment, and tourist prospects. The accompanying catalogue show enabled direct interaction between Saudi participants and Sri Lankan companies, paving the way for potential partnerships.
Prior to the forum, Ambassador Ajwad met with Secretary General AbdulRahman bin Abdullah Al-Wabel, Vice Chairman Hamad Alamar, and Chairman of the Ashqariya Chamber Dr. Bader S. AlReziza in a bilateral encounter. Tashma Vithanawasem and Mohamed Anas, senior embassy officials, attended talks focused on strengthening business connections.
The forum’s successful conclusion highlighted Sri Lanka and Saudi Arabia’s potential to deepen their trade, investment, and tourist partnership.
