Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment, and Tourism Vijitha Herath announced the establishment of the historic Sri Lanka–Saudi Arabia Joint Business Council, marking a significant milestone in strengthening economic relations between the two nations.

In a statement posted on X (formerly Twitter), Minister Herath stated:

“I witnessed the launch of the historic Sri Lanka–Saudi Arabia Joint Business Council by an MoU between the Federation of Saudi Chambers (FSC) and the Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Sri Lanka (FCCISL) at the headquarters of the FSC in Riyadh.”

He also addressed the Federation of Saudi Chambers, where he highlighted the trade and investment opportunities available in Sri Lanka.

The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed by the Chairman of the Federation of Saudi Chambers, Hassan Al-Huwaizi, and the President of the Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Sri Lanka, Keerthi Gunawardane, who joined the ceremony virtually, he said.

The Ambassador of Sri Lanka to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Ameer Ajwad, and Chairman Hassan Al-Huwaizi exchanged the signed documents during the event.

Minister Herath emphasized that the establishment of this first-ever Business-to-Business (B2B) forum between Sri Lanka and Saudi Arabia would serve as a catalyst to enhance private sector engagement and promote trade, investment, and tourism cooperation between the two countries.

“This is a long-awaited, first-ever B2B forum between the two countries, which would serve as a catalyst to enhance the much-needed closer private sector interactions between the two countries,” he added.