The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Sheikh Abdullah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, reaffirmed the UAE’s commitment to deepening bilateral relations with Sri Lanka, with particular focus on energy, tourism, foreign investment, and employment sectors.
Sheikh Abdullah made these remarks during an official visit to Sri Lanka on April 22, in a meeting with President Anura Kumara Dissanayake at the Presidential Secretariat. Accompanied by a high-level UAE delegation, the Deputy Prime Minister emphasized that the visit aims to expand longstanding ties and enhance mutual economic cooperation.
Offering warm congratulations to President Dissanayake and the people of Sri Lanka, Sheikh Abdullah pledged the UAE’s full support for Sri Lanka’s new development agenda, praising the President’s commitment to national rebuilding and his constructive approach to international relations.
In response, President Dissanayake underscored the government’s efforts to establish a stable, investment-friendly environment, with robust legal safeguards now in place to protect foreign investments. He detailed ongoing initiatives in debt restructuring, economic stabilization, and highlighted key investment opportunities in port development, Port City Colombo, tourism, energy, and transport infrastructure.
The President reiterated his government’s strategic goal of positioning Sri Lanka as a leading regional investment and tourism hub.
Also in attendance were Minister of Labour and Deputy Minister of Economic Development Dr. Anil Jayantha Fernando, senior officials from the Presidential Secretariat, and the visiting UAE delegation, including UAE Minister of State Ahmed Ali Al Sayegh, UAE Ambassador to Sri Lanka Khaled Nasser Al Ameri, and other high-ranking dignitaries from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the UAE.
