Saudi Arabia assures support to Sri Lanka’s recovery efforts

Minister of Ports, Shipping and Aviation, Nimal Siripala de Silva recently received an assurance from Saudi Arabian Ambassador to Sri Lanka, Khalid Hamoud Nasser Alkahtani, that KSA would support ongoing economic recovery efforts.

They met on Nov 6. During the meeting, the Saudi Arabian Ambassador expressed appreciation for the rapid progress achieved by Sri Lanka’s shipping and aviation sectors in a relatively short time following the country’s efforts to recover from the recent economic recession. The Ambassador pledged unconditional support through the Paris Club to aid Sri Lanka’s debt restructuring process, which is being carried out by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) at present.

Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva conveyed the Sri Lankan Government’s gratitude to the Ambassador, emphasizing the historically close bilateral and diplomatic ties between Saudi Arabia and Sri Lanka. He acknowledged Saudi Arabia’s significant contribution to the generation of foreign exchange for Sri Lanka through the employment opportunities provided to a substantial number of Sri Lankans in the kingdom.

The Minister and the Ambassador also discussed the resumption of “Saudi Air” flights, which were temporarily suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic. They also explored the possibility of recruiting and deploying trained Sri Lankan seafarers to the shipping lines under the Saudi Arabian government. An agreement was reached to promptly sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between Sri Lanka and the Saudi government on this matter.

Furthermore, the Minister extended an invitation to the Saudi Arabian Ambassador for a group of academics from Saudi Arabia to visit Sri Lanka. The visit aims to gain a comprehensive understanding and evaluation of the courses offered by the Mahapola Ports and Maritime Academy (MPMA) of the Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) and other private sector universities in providing training and courses within the shipping and naval sectors.

At the meeting the Minister assured the Ambassador of Sri Lanka’s readiness to collaborate closely with Saudi Arabia in the fields of shipping, aviation, and foreign employment. The Minister also commended the support extended by Saudi Arabia towards Sri Lanka’s socio-economic development.

Mrs. Nayana Somaratne, Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Ports, Shipping, and Aviation, also participated in the discussions.