Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism Vijitha Herath has concluded a two-day official visit to the United Arab Emirates, where he held a series of high-level discussions aimed at strengthening Sri Lanka-UAE relations.
Minister Herath visited Dubai from September 2 to 3, 2026. During the visit, he joined UAE Minister of Foreign Trade Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi at the Sri Lanka Day event, the second edition of “Sri Lanka Beyond Your Dreams,” organized by the Consulate General of Sri Lanka in Dubai.
The Minister also held bilateral meetings with UAE Minister of Human Resources and Emiratisation Dr. Abdulrahman Abdulmannan Al Awar and UAE Minister of Economy and Tourism Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri.
Discussions focused on strengthening cooperation in investment, trade, tourism and labour, while exploring new opportunities for economic cooperation and mutually beneficial engagement between the two countries.
During his meeting with Dr. Thani, Minister Herath expressed Sri Lanka’s interest in expediting the conclusion of the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) between Sri Lanka and the UAE. He said the agreement would help deepen economic ties and create greater opportunities for trade and investment.
The Sri Lanka Day event brought together around 400 guests, including members of the diplomatic corps, government officials from Sri Lanka and the UAE, investors, corporate leaders, trade and tourism representatives, media personnel and influencers.
Minister Herath also met UAE and Sri Lankan business leaders and private-sector representatives, with discussions focusing on strengthening commercial relations and identifying new opportunities for trade, investment and business partnerships.
On the sidelines of the visit, the Minister met Amit Jain, Group CEO of EMAAR Group, and Executive Director Ahmad Matrooshi. Discussions included real estate development, with Minister Herath inviting EMAAR Group to explore investment opportunities in Port City Colombo.
Officials from the Sri Lankan Embassy in Abu Dhabi, the Consulate General in Dubai, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism, and other relevant Sri Lankan institutions participated in the engagements.
