The Embassy of Sri Lanka in Riyadh organized the first-ever virtual Workshop of its kind to educate Sri Lankan exporter companies on Saudi regulatory procedures and requirements for exporting Sri Lankan food and beverage products to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, in collaboration with the Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA) and the Sri Lanka Export Development Board (EDB).
The Workshop was proposed by Sri Lanka’s Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Ameer Ajwad, during his meeting with the CEO of the SFDA, Prof. Hisham S. Aljadhey, with a view to educating and guiding Sri Lankan exporters of food and beverages in response to numerous inquiries received by the Embassy. The Workshop which was held on 10 February 2026,
focused on key export sectors including fisheries, poultry, processed foods, fruits and vegetables, beverages, and herbal products.
Delivering the opening remarks, Ambassador Ajwad expressed his gratitude to the CEO of the Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA), Prof. Hisham S. Aljadhey, for hosting this vital information-sharing Workshop. He also extended his appreciation to the Executive Director of International Cooperation, Khalid Almesfair, and the SFDA expert team for their unwavering support in facilitating the event.
The Ambassador highlighted the growing momentum in economic ties between the two countries, including the establishment of the first-ever Saudi–Sri Lanka Business Council last year and the significant growth in bilateral trade between Sri Lanka and Saudi Arabia. He noted that such interactions between Sri Lankan food and beverage exporters and the SFDA would help remove bottlenecks, facilitate smoother trade, and expand Sri Lanka’s export basket in the Saudi market. He further observed that the participation of a large number of Sri Lankan exporter companies in this virtual workshop reflects the strong potential for enhanced trade cooperation between the two countries.
Chairman of the Export Development Board, Mangala Wijesinghe, joining virtually, highlighted Sri Lanka’s global export performance and provided insights into the Saudi–Sri Lanka trade relationship while emphasizing the country’s recent economic achievements.
In his introductory remarks, Executive Director of International Cooperation Khalid Almesfair briefed participants on the SFDA’s role in fostering international partnerships under Saudi Vision 2030 and reiterated the authority’s strong support for Sri Lankan companies seeking to engage with Saudi businesses. He reaffirmed his commitment to strengthening and expanding trade relations between the two friendly countries.
The SFDA expert team, including Faris M. Abdullah (Investment Department), Abdulaziz Al Rabeah (Head of Food Products Specifications Section), Abdullah AlMulhim (Head of Food Products Registration Section), Fahad Alazmi (Senior Products and Facilities Inspection Expert), Abdulaziz AlTuraifi (Senior Clearance Operations Support Expert), Abdulmalik Bin Saeed (Senior Product Registration Support Expert), Mohammed Al-Harthi (Senior Products and Facilities Inspection Expert), and Ali Aljumayd (Senior Registration and Licensing Expert), delivered highly informative presentations on regulatory procedures, product registration, facility approvals, inspections, and clearance processes for exporters.
More than 80 Sri Lankan food and beverage exporter companies attended the workshop, along with representatives from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Foreign Employment and Tourism, the Sri Lanka Export Development Board (EDB), the Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources of Sri Lanka, the Department of Animal Production and Health of Sri Lanka, and the Embassy of Sri Lanka in Riyadh.
The workshop provided Sri Lankan food and beverage exporter companies with much-needed clarity on compliance requirements, helping them navigate the regulatory landscape for exporting Sri Lankan food and beverage products to Saudi Arabia’s growing market.
Embassy of Sri Lanka
Riyadh
19 February 2026
