Vijitha Herath, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism, embarked on a two-day visit to the United Arab Emirates from September 2 to September 3, 2026.
On September 2, Minister Herath attended the second edition of “Sri Lanka Beyond Your Dreams,” an event celebrating Sri Lanka Day, alongside Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, the UAE Minister of Foreign Trade. This event was hosted by the Sri Lankan Consulate General in Dubai. Additionally, Minister Herath conducted bilateral discussions with Dr. Abdulrahman Abdulmannan Al Awar, the UAE Minister of Human Resources and Emiratisation, as well as Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri, the UAE Minister of Economy and Tourism. The primary focus of these meetings was to bolster cooperation in investment, trade, tourism, and labor, while also identifying new opportunities for enhanced economic collaboration between Sri Lanka and the UAE.
During the Sri Lanka Day celebration, Minister Herath engaged in fruitful discussions with Dr. Thani, emphasizing the need to strengthen and expand trade and economic ties between the two nations. He expressed Sri Lanka’s eagerness to expedite the finalization of the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) to deepen economic relations and create greater opportunities for beneficial trade and investment.
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This prominent promotional and diplomatic initiative aimed to establish Sri Lanka as a leading destination for tourism, investment, and trade within the UAE and the broader Middle East region. The event attracted around 400 attendees, including diplomats, government officials from both UAE and Sri Lanka, investors, corporate leaders, distributors, trade and tourism representatives, as well as media personnel and influencers. Throughout the event, Minister Herath interacted with business leaders from both countries, facilitating discussions on enhancing commercial relationships and exploring new trade, investment, and partnership opportunities.
On the margins of his visit, Minister Herath met with Amit Jain, the Group CEO of EMAAR Group, and Ahmad Matrooshi, the Executive Director of EMAAR Group. They discussed real estate development and Minister Herath extended an invitation for EMAAR Group to consider investment opportunities in the Port City Colombo project.
Participants in these discussions included officials from the Sri Lankan Embassy in Abu Dhabi, the Consulate General in Dubai, and various institutions from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism, among others.
Source: Financial Chronicle Biz English | Sri Lanka Business News.
