New Consul General for Jeddah :

Plans to promote trade, investment and tourism
 

FROM MOHAMMED Rasooldeen in Riyadh

SRI LANKA'S new Consul General in Jeddah, Masihudeen Inamullah said besides labour welfare work, he hopes to concentrate more on promoting trade, investment and tourism between the two countries.

Inamullah, who took over the Sri Lankan Consulate in Jeddah on Monday said although Jeddah is the commercial hub of the Kingdom, Sri Lanka has not fully utilised the Kingdom's resources.

Inamullah said his priorities were to bring in a ministerial delegation to the Kingdom in September to exchange business information and to tell the Saudi businessmen of the attractive opportunities available in the island.

Inamullah said last year, the Kingdom's exports to Colombo were estimated at $119 million, while its imports from the island were $ 30.83 million.

"Saudi Arabia's exports include oil and petroleum products and its imports from Sri Lanka were tea, gem stones, coconut, coconut products and apparel. A total of 10 Saudi companies have already started projects in marine, medicare, garments, tourism and fruit juice industries in Sri Lanka," he said.

"There are other areas where Saudi investors could benefit," Inamullah said." They included construction and development of seaports, airports, railways, water service, health, power generation, Information Technology and agriculture.

Large numbers of Saudis are going to Sri Lanka for tourist and business purposes and it could be further enhanced by promoting the island."

To promote bilateral trade, the Consul General emphasised the need for a commerce department in his mission. Consumption of Sri Lankan tea in Saudi Arabia has dropped from 80 to 60 per cent during the past 10 years. Ceylon Tea accounts for 65 per cent of the island's import revenue from the Kingdom.

Inamullah who met Labour and Employment Minister Athauda Seneviratne and Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar before his departure to the Kingdom, said he intends to procure more employment opportunities for skilled Lankan workers in the Kingdom.

"There are many skilled workers who could easily fit into sectors of employment in the Kingdom," he said. Inamullah also said complaints from Sri Lankan housemaids are minimal compared with the island's domestic worker population in the Western part of Saudi Arabia.

The diplomat described Saudi Arabia as a country loved by all Sri Lankans back home because of its dynamic leadership in the Islamic world.

"Its generosity is well known even in remote villages of the island," he added. The Kingdom is currently building 1,000 houses for tsunami victims, he said.

Inamullah succeeds A.M.J. Sadiq who has been appointed as the island's ambassador in Riyadh. Sadiq is scheduled to arrive on Wednesday to take up his new assignment.