Minister Bimal Rathnayake, Minister of Transport, Highways, Ports and Civil Aviation of Sri Lanka, concluded a productive visit to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, where he participated in the 2nd Sustainable Maritime Industry Conference held from 3–4 September 2025, on the invitation of the Transport General Authority (TGA) of Saudi Arabia.
During his visit, Minister Rathnayake held high-level bilateral discussions with H.E. Saleh Al-Jasser, Minister of Transport and Logistics of Saudi Arabia, and Eng. Suliman bin Khalid Al-Mazroua, President of the Saudi Ports Authority (MAWANI). He highlighted Sri Lanka’s recent strides toward political and economic stability and underscored growing opportunities within the island’s dynamic ports and logistics sectors. He further proposed the establishment of a bilateral mechanism to strengthen cooperation between the two nations in maritime and logistics development.
Minister Rathnayake also engaged with the Saudi private sector through a roundtable discussion at the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce. Addressing the Chamber, Minister Rathnayake highlighted Sri Lanka’s strategic geographic location in the Indian Ocean and presented investment opportunities and proposals in ports, logistics and civil aviation sectors. He also briefed on the recent political transformation and economic stability in the country, underscoring the government’s commitment to transparency and creating a corruption-free as well as investor-friendly environment. The meeting was attended by key stakeholders including Chamber President Mohammed Yousuf Naghi and other senior representatives. Discussions emphasized the strategic importance of the Port of Colombo as a reliable regional transshipment hub, and the Chamber expressed their readiness to explore partnership between Sri Lanka and Saudi Arabia.
In a separate engagement, Minister Rathnayake met with Mr. Hasan Al Harbi, Managing Director of HASCO, to explore potential collaboration in both logistics and hospitality industries. Capt Ali Almehwari, Executive General Manager of Jeddah Islamic port also briefly interacted with the delegation during this meeting.
The Minister also visited the Sri Lankan Consulate General in Jeddah, where he met the Consulate staff and members of the Sri Lankan expatriate community. The interactive session provided a platform for community members to raise concerns and share suggestions to enhance service delivery and support for Sri Lankan migrant workers in the region.
As part of the cultural exchange arranged by the Saudi Ministry of Culture, the Minister toured Al-Balad, Jeddah’s historic old city and a UNESCO World Heritage site, gaining deeper insight into the region’s rich history, traditional architecture, and vibrant cultural heritage.
The Sri Lanka delegation at the said meetings / interactions included Minister Bimal Ratnayake, Ambassador of Sri Lanka to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Ameer Ajwad, Acting Consul General in Jeddah Ms. Mafusa Lafir; Additional Director General Ms. D.A.S. Jayasekara and Mr. Asanka Chandrasena, Private Secretary to the Minister.
Minister Rathnayake’s visit marks a significant step toward deepening Sri Lanka–Saudi Arabia relations, with potential for expanding economic ties, particularly in the maritime and logistics sectors.
Consulate General of Sri Lanka in Jeddah
07/09/2025
