President Anura Kumara Disanayaka successfully concluded his visit to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) from 10-13 February 2025, following an invitation from the UAE President, His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, to attend the prestigious World Government Summit 2025.
President Disanayaka addressed the Summit, urging world leaders to unite in confronting global challenges. "We must unite as global citizens to face transnational challenges," he stated, calling for collective action to rebuild the world.
During the three-day visit, President Disanayaka engaged in fruitful bilateral discussions with His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai. The meeting focused on strengthening cooperation in key sectors including investment, trade, and tourism.
High-level participants in the meeting from the UAE side included His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, and Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence of the UAE and His Highness Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, First Deputy Ruler of Dubai and Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance of the UAE.
The meeting was also attended by His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Second Deputy Ruler of Dubai and Chairman of the Dubai Media Council, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, His Excellency Mohammad Al Gergawi, Minister of Cabinet Affairs and Chairman of the World Governments Summit, Her Excellency Reem Al Hashimy, Minister of State for International Cooperation and His Excellency Khaled Nasser Al Ameri, Ambassador of the UAE to Sri Lanka.
In addition to his bilateral engagements with the UAE leaders, President Disanayaka held meetings with other world leaders to bolster Sri Lanka's diplomatic and economic relations. He met with Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and discussed closer bilateral and multilateral engagement between the two countries.
In a meeting with the Prime Minister of Kuwait Sheikh Ahmed Abdullah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, President Disanayaka emphasized the importance of strengthening Sri Lanka-Kuwait relations, particularly noting the contributions of Sri Lankan expatriate workers in Kuwait.
A bilateral meeting was held with the Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Vietnam, focusing on elevating Sri Lanka-Vietnam relations in the fields of trade, tourism, and investment. President Disanayaka also met with former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair, who offered expertise in agriculture, climate change, and governance, pledging to send a team of experts to Sri Lanka to support its economic development goals.
Additionally, President Disanayaka engaged with the CEOs of Dow Jones, Roblox, Oracle, and Alibaba. These top business leaders expressed strong interest in collaborating with Sri Lanka in areas including digitalization, AI, tourism and media, paving the way for mutually beneficial partnerships.
The President met the Sri Lanka expatriate community in Dubai and appreciated their valuable contribution to the economic development of Sri Lanka. Approximately 350,00 Sri Lankans live and work in the UAE and their remittances to Sri Lanka are approximately USD 700 Million.
During the visit, the Agreement on Promotion and Protection of Investment between Sri Lanka and the UAE was officially signed on 12 February 2025, by Hon. Vijitha Herath, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism of Sri Lanka and His Excellency Mohamed bin Hadi Al Hussaini, Minister of State for Financial Affairs of the UAE. The Agreement is expected to encourage investment between the two countries.
President Disanayaka’s visit to the UAE has strengthened bilateral ties and opened new opportunities for collaboration, aligned with Sri Lanka’s national policy development framework. The President’s meetings with Heads of State and leading business leaders underscore Sri Lanka's growing global presence and potential for future growth.
Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism Vijitha Herath, Governor of the Western Province Hanif Yusoof, Additional Secretary of East Asia, Middle East and Africa of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism Yasoja Gunasekera, and senior officials of the Ministry, the officials of the Embassy of Sri Lanka in the UAE and the Consulate General of the Sri Lanka in Dubai, were associated with President Disanayaka in his engagements in the UAE.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment, and Tourism
Colombo
14 February 2025
