Hon. Minister of Energy, Kumara Jayakody, has been elected as the President of the Sri Lanka – Saudi Arabia Parliamentary Friendship Association for the Tenth Parliament.
The revival meeting of the Association was held recently (Aug. 07) at the Parliament under the patronage of the Hon. Speaker, Dr. Jagath Wickramaratne. The Ambassador of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to Sri Lanka, H.E. Khalid Hamoud Nasser Alkahtani, attended the event as the Guest of Honour. Several Ministers, Deputy Ministers, Members of Parliament, and the Secretary General of Parliament, Mrs. Kushani Rohanadeera, were also present.
At the same meeting, Hon. Member of Parliament (Attorney-at-Law)
Thushari Jayasinghe was elected as the Secretary of the Association. Addressing the gathering, Hon. Speaker Dr. Jagath Wickramaratne highlighted the enduring diplomatic relations between Sri Lanka and Saudi Arabia, noting that the Saudi Arabia has been a vital partner in Sri Lanka’s development journey. He commended Saudi Arabia’s
significant contributions to the projects in water, energy, health, law, and education through the Saudi Fund for Development, which have positively impacted the lives of Sri Lankans. The Hon. Speaker also recognized the recent agreement with the Saudi Fund for Development as a key milestone in Sri Lanka’s external debt
restructuring process
H.E. Khalid Hamoud Nasser Alkahtani underscored the decades-long ties between Saudi Arabia and Sri Lanka, rooted in mutual respect and productive cooperation in areas including politics, economics, and culture. He observed that in recent years, the partnership between the two nations has grown stronger and emphasized that the Parliamentary Friendship Association will serve as a bridge for enhanced parliamentary dialogue and cooperation.
The newly elected President, Hon. Minister Kumara Jayakody, pledged to strengthen bilateral relations further, focusing on education, trade, infrastructure, and tourism. He emphasized the role of the Association as a platform for fostering mutual understanding people-to-people connections, and legislative dialogue between the two countries.
Delivering the vote of thanks, Hon. Member of Parliament (Attorney- at-Law) Thushari Jayasinghe expressed her appreciation to the Ambassador of Saudi Arabia to Sri Lanka for his presence and continued commitment to fostering strong ties between the two nations. She also conveyed her gratitude to the Hon. Speaker for his leadership in promoting dialogue and friendship between Sri Lanka and its international partners.
As part of his visit to Parliament, the Ambassador held discussions with the Hon. Speaker, Dr. Jagath Wickramaratne, focusing on avenues to enhance cooperation and reaffirming Saudi Arabia’s support for Sri Lanka. He also paid courtesy calls on the Hon. Deputy Speaker, Dr. Rizvie Salih, and the Hon. Leader of the House, Minister Bimal Ratnayake. These meetings explored new opportunities for collaboration across multiple sectors, further reinforcing the
friendship and cooperation between the two countries.
