Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs of Saudi Arabia, Waleed El Khereiji received Ambassador of Sri Lanka to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Omar Lebbe Ameer Ajwad at the Foreign Ministry Headquarters in Riyadh on 07 January 2025.
While extending a warm welcome to Ambassador Ameer Ajwad to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Vice Minister Waleed El Khereiji recalled the long standing, friendly and cordial relations between Saudi Arabia and Sri Lanka. He also commended the Sri Lankan community in Saudi Arabia for their peaceful coexistence within the Saudi society and their contribution to the development of Saudi Arabia. The Vice Minister also expressed the appreciation of the Government of Saudi Arabia for all the support and cooperation extended by Sri Lanka to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia at bilateral, regional and multilateral levels.
Ambassador Ameer Ajwad expressed his gratitude for the kind sentiments conveyed by Vice Minister El Khereiji and briefed him on the initiatives taken by the Embassy of Sri Lanka in Riyadh to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Sri Lanka and Saudi Arabia which is a significant milestone in the history of bilateral relations between the two countries. Key initiatives in this regard include the unveiling of a special commemorative logo to mark the occasion, a tree-planting campaign which aligns with the Saudi Green Initiative and is conducted in collaboration with the Riyadh Municipality, and the proposed issuance of commemorative stamps by both countries.
Ambassador Ameer Ajwad also highlighted the recent growing bilateral interactions, in particular the unprecedented participation of many Sri Lankan trade delegations in Saudi Arabia’s international Expos for the last six months. He also underscored that the new bilateral mechanism that was agreed upon by both countries such as the political consultation between the Foreign Ministries of Sri Lanka and Saudi Arabia will serve as a catalyst to further consolidate bilateral cooperation in all gamut of areas of mutual benefit. The Ambassador also expressed Sri Lanka's readiness to partner with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 initiatives.
Vice Minister Waleed El Khereiji has served as the former Minister of Agriculture of Saudi Arabia and the Saudi Ambassador to Turkey.
Ambassador Ameer Ajwad was accompanied by Head of Chancery and Minister at the Embassy of Sri Lanka in Riyadh, Mohamed Anas.
Embassy of Sri Lanka
Riyadh
10 January 2025
