Sri Lankan Independence Day message from the Consul-General of Sri Lanka to Dubai and Northern Emirates

It is with a great pleasure that I extend my warmest greetings and felicitations to the expatriate Sri Lankan community living in the UAE on this special day of celebrating the 73rd anniversary of Independence of our beloved motherland. 

The friendly and cordial bilateral relations between the UAE and Sri Lanka have grown exponentially since the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two nations in 1979. While witnessing important bilateral milestones over a period of 40 years, the cordial relations between the two countries, which are based on mutual trust and understanding, have spread in all the spheres including trade, investment, tourism and economic cooperation. The UAE is Sri Lankan's largest trading partner in the MENA region. While ranking at number nine in Sri Lanka's top export destinations, the UAE ranks at number three in Sri Lanka's global import destinations. 

The UAE is also the largest source of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) inflows to Sri Lanka from the Gulf region. The air connectivity with over 60 direct flights between the UAE and Sri Lanka has immensely helped for the development of the tourism industry in both the countries. The UAE is among the most preferred destinations for employment among the Sri Lankans due to its conducive environment for foreign employees. 

I wish to extend my heartfelt gratitude and thanks to the leadership of the UAE government for continued unconditional assistance to the Sri Lankan expatriate community during this unprecedented time in which the whole world has faced an immense challenge by the Covid-19 pandemic. 

The Consulate General of Sri Lanka to Dubai and Northern Emirates was initially established as a Consulate Office in 1993 and was subsequently upgraded to a Consulate General Office status in 1999. The Sri Lanka Consulate General office in Dubai is entrusted with the tasks of providing consular services for estimated number of around 215,000 Sri Lankan expatriate community living in Dubai and Northern Emirates of the UAE. 

On this occasion of celebrating the 73rd Independence Day Anniversary of our motherland, I would like to extend my best wishes for good health and prosperity to all the expatriate Sri Lankans living in the UAE. 

Happy Independence Day Sri Lanka!