On the occasion of the 59th Independence Day of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, I extend my warm greetings and best wishes to all our friends and fellow citizens of Sri Lanka residing in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
The people and the government of Sri Lanka attach greatest importance to the bonds of friendship between the two nations. Sri Lanka and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia established diplomatic relations on Dec. 1, 1974. The Kingdom started its resident mission in Colombo in 1995. Sri Lanka is keen on strengthening its bilateral co-operation on trade and investment with the Kingdom.
Bilateral trade between the two countries was to the tune of $150.4 million in 2004, with the balance heavily in favor of the Kingdom. The island’s exports to Saudi Arabia stood at $30.8 million while its imports were estimated at $ 119.6 million. Crude oil and petroleum products accounted for 74% of Saudi exports while urea, copra, other metals and chemicals made up for the balance products. On the other hand, two commodities, namely tea (69%) and desiccated coconut (12%) dominated Sri Lanka’s exports to the Kingdom. The other significant exports were automobile tires, wooden, fiberboard, vegetables and garments.
The presence of a 500,000 strong Sri Lankan expatriate community in the Kingdom, the largest Sri Lankan worker population overseas, is a significant feature of bilateral relations, and bears testimony to the immense respect and esteem that the people of Saudi Arabia have for Sri Lankans.
Sri Lanka signed the General Agreement on Economic, Trade, Investment, Scientific, Technical, Cultural, Youth and Sports Cooperation with the Kingdom in December 2003. The agreement has paved the way for new areas of cooperation.
We recall with deep gratitude the magnificent response from the Saudi government, NGOs and ordinary citizens of the Kingdom to the unprecedented devastation caused by tsunami waves which hit the southern and eastern coastal belt of Sri Lanka on Dec. 26, 2004.
On this auspicious occasion, as we commemorate Sri Lanka’s 59th anniversary of independence, let us salute our national heroes who won the invaluable freedom for our motherland from foreign rule.
It is our duty to safeguard the independence of our country from the adverse impact of the challenges of the present day in every aspect of life, the major challenge ahead of us is achieving peace, harmony and stability by finding a peaceful political solution to the ethnic conflict. Our nation needs greater determination, wisdom, courage and unity to march toward peace.
Let us hope that the initiatives taken by the government of President Mahinda Rajapakse to resume stalled peace talks would lead us to a peaceful mother Lanka where all the citizens feel as one Sri Lanka nation.
Despite various challenges we are fortunate enough to safeguard our political freedom by exercising democratic rights and franchise, freedom of speech, independence of judiciary and so on.
Sri Lankan expatriates all over the world play a major role in sustaining economic development back in the motherland by their remittance of foreign exchange, which contributes toward alleviation of poverty and unemployment. It is incumbent on all of us to safeguard the image and interests of our motherland overseas.
Let us stand resolute and united irrespective of differences of caste, creed and language as one nation to overcome the challenges of the day for a brighter tomorrow.
Masihudeen Inamullah
Consul General