Port City Colombo pitches Sri Lanka as South Asia gateway at high-level Dubai investment forum

Colombo, June 12 (Daily Mirror) - Sri Lanka stepped up efforts to attract Gulf investment this week as nearly 200 senior business and diplomatic leaders gathered in Dubai for a high-level forum positioning Port City Colombo as a gateway to South Asia.

The invitation-only event, titled “Globalisation and the Sri Lankan Opportunity – From Recovery to Relevance: Sri Lanka’s Moment in the Evolving Global and Regional Economy,” was held at the Ritz-Carlton Dubai International Financial Centre and jointly organised by the Sri Lankan Embassy in the UAE, the Consulate General of Sri Lanka in Dubai and the Northern Emirates, the Colombo Port City Economic Commission, and CHEC Port City Colombo.

The forum attracted representatives from leading UAE companies and institutions, including Sobha Realty, Binghatti, Oracle, Emirates Airlines, First Abu Dhabi Bank, JLL, Cushman & Wakefield, CBRE, IFS, Danube and Samana Developers.

Addressing the gathering, Sri Lanka’s Ambassador to the UAE, Prof. Arusha Cooray, highlighted the long-standing economic ties between the two countries and stressed Sri Lanka’s potential as a platform for UAE businesses seeking expansion across South Asia.

Delivering the keynote address, Ghanim Al Falasi, CEO of Falak Tayyeb Platinum and Senior Vice President at Dubai Silicon Oasis, said Dubai and Colombo could serve complementary roles in the regional economy, with Dubai providing global access to capital and logistics while Colombo offers strategic access to South Asian markets.

Presidential Special Envoy for Foreign Investment Hanif Yusoof told participants that Sri Lanka should be viewed as a transformation story rather than a recovery story, describing Port City Colombo as a ready-made platform for regional expansion.

He said the project offers UAE investors a unique opportunity to establish a presence in South Asia through a jurisdiction that combines geographic proximity with institutional credibility and investor-friendly regulations.

Colombo Port City Economic Commission Chairman Harsha Amarasekera outlined the project’s recent commercial progress and growing investor interest, while Director General Revan Wickramasuriya detailed the regulatory framework, tax incentives and investor protection mechanisms designed to attract international capital.

The event also featured a panel discussion on the strengthening economic links between the Gulf and South Asia and Sri Lanka’s role in that evolving relationship.

During the forum, Mujtaba Shaikhani, Founder and Principal of MH Investments and Managing Director of Gulf O Flex, was formally appointed Strategic Partner and Director for GCC and Pakistan of CHEC Port City Colombo, a move aimed at deepening investment engagement across the Gulf region.

CHEC Port City Colombo Managing Director Xiong Hongfeng said the strong interest shown by UAE businesses reflected growing recognition of Port City Colombo as a regional business platform offering regulatory certainty, modern infrastructure and connectivity to South Asian markets.

Organisers said the forum marked an important milestone in Sri Lanka’s engagement with Gulf investors and reinforced Port City Colombo’s positioning as a key platform for regional growth and investment.