30 October 2017 10:16 am
Within four days of a Presidential level delegation from Sri Lanka successfully wrapping up its bilateral work in Doha, the State of Qatar is despatching an official delegation led by an influential Qatari Minister to Colombo to move bilateral trade actions forward. Qatari Minister of Economy and Commerce Sheikh Ahmed bin Jassim bin Mohamed al-Thani will be leading his 20-man delegation to Colombo for the second Joint Committee Meeting between both countries that will commence this morning in Colombo.
This is one of the largest ever Qatari delegations to arrive in Sri Lanka for bilateral trade talks.
Sri Lanka’s Industry and Commerce Minister Rishad Bathiudeen will lead the Sri Lankan team at the talks. The visiting Qatari members are from various Qatari state agencies, Chambers and Doha corporates in power, food and banking.
Both sides shall discuss bilateral cooperation in trade, investment, tourism and economic development at the two-day in-depth sessions that will conclude tomorrow.
A one-to-one meeting between the visiting Qatari Minister Al Thani and Sri Lankan Minister Bathiudeen is also scheduled towards the end of two-day sessions.
A high level Sri Lankan delegation led by President Maithripala Sirisena and joined by Minister Bathiudeen concluded their Qatari visit on 26 October.
There are about 130,000 Sri Lankan workers in Qatar employed in minor job categories.