New Saudi Ambassador presents Credentials

COLOMBO (News 1st); The Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia with the concurrence of the Government of Sri Lanka appointed Khalid Hamoud Nasser Aldasam Alkahtani as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to Sri Lanka based in Colombo. 

He has presented credentials to President Ranil Wickremesinghe, recently at the Presidential Secretariat.

Sri Lanka’s relations with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia go back several centuries. People-to-People contact between the two countries has flourished since ancient times.

Readers from Arabia visited and transited  Sri Lanka as Sri Lanka was the center of the maritime route between the east and the west. Arabs used to call Sri Lanka “Serendib”.  Later this led to the word “Serendipity” was introduced into the English vocabulary.

Further, the Sri Lankan pilgrims regularly visit the Holy sites in KSA.

Sri Lanka's relations with KSA are multifaceted, ranging from political, economic, religious, and cultural, and built on common interests, mutual trust, and respect.  Both countries have also collaborated with each other in several multilateral fora including in the UN, NAM, Colombo Plan, and Abu Dhabi Dialogue.

The total trade volume is about 300 Million dollars dominated by tea from the Sri Lanka side and petroleum products from the KSA side, which is below its potential. Both countries are working towards diversifying their trading baskets.

Sri Lanka also takes note of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 which deals with a Kingdom’s Plan after oil and intends to explore possibilities for Sri Lankan companies in sectors such as ICT, health care, construction, tourism, etc. in the Kingdom.