News
Lanka engages UAE business leaders to promote Port City as South Asian gateway
(Constructiononline) The Embassy of Sri Lanka in the United Arab Emirates and the Consulate General of Sri Lanka in Dubai and the Northern Emirates, in collaboration with Colombo Port City Economic Commission and CHEC Port City Colombo Pvt. Ltd., hosted Globalisation and the Sri Lankan Opportunity – From Recovery to Relevance: Sri Lanka’s Moment in the Evolving Global and Regional Economy, an invitation-only diplomatic and investment engagement at The Ritz-Carlton, Dubai International Financial Centre.
The forum brought together approximately 200 senior leaders from across UAE corporates and business chambers alongside Sri Lanka’s most senior diplomatic and investment representatives – among them senior executives from Sobha Realty, Binghatti, Oracle, Emirates Airlines, First Abu Dhabi Bank, JLL, Cushman & Wakefield, CBRE, IFS, Danube and Samana Developers – reflecting the depth of interest from the UAE’s leading industries in Sri Lanka’s evolving economic proposition.
Opening the forum, Prof. Arusha Cooray, Ambassador of Sri Lanka to the United Arab Emirates, set the tone for a morning of substantive dialogue, speaking to the depth and durability of the UAE–Sri Lanka partnership, one built on decades of trade, people, and shared economic ambition, and affirming Sri Lanka’s commitment to taking that relationship into a new chapter defined by what Sri Lanka can offer UAE businesses seeking to grow their presence across South Asia.
The keynote address was delivered by Ghanim Al Falasi, CEO of Falak Tayyeb Platinum and Senior Vice President/Director General’s Office for of Dubai Silicon Oasis (DSO), who drew on over a decade of senior leadership experience in the UAE’s innovation and technology ecosystem to frame the question of what South Asia’s emerging platforms offer to forward-looking UAE businesses. He noted that while Dubai provides global access to capital and logistics, Colombo offers strategic access to South Asia, and that together the two cities can function as complementary platforms serving different but mutually reinforcing roles in the regional economy.
Hanif Yusoof, Presidential Special Envoy for Foreign Investment of Sri Lanka, delivered strategic perspectives on Sri Lanka’s investment vision, underscoring the President and Government’s commitment to Port City Colombo as the flagship vehicle for the country’s long-term economic transformation. Yusoof positioned Sri Lanka firmly as a transformation story rather than a recovery story, emphasising that Sri Lanka today offers UAE businesses something rare in South Asia – a jurisdiction that combines regional proximity with genuine institutional credibility, anchored in a platform that is operational, investable, and ready. He invited UAE businesses to see Port City Colombo and Sri Lanka as a gateway to South Asia in the same way that Dubai serves as a gateway to the Middle East and North Africa, enabling businesses already established in the Gulf to expand their regional footprint without starting from scratch.
Harsha Amarasekera PC, Chairman of the Colombo Port City Economic Commission, provided a detailed overview of Port City Colombo’s current commercial momentum, the strong investment interest that has crystallised in the last 12-18 months resulting in significant visible progress. The Chairman emphasised that the project is designed as a complementary, supportive, and collaborative platform – one that offers UAE companies a footprint from which to expand into South Asia, rather than a competing proposition to the Gulf’s established business ecosystem.
Revan Wickramasuriya, Director General of the Commission, elaborated on the governance architecture underpinning Port City Colombo, highlighting the investor protection mechanisms, long-term tax incentives, and rules-based regulatory environment that distinguish the SEZ, noting that the framework was designed from inception to meet the expectations of internationally mobile capital.
The centrepiece of the forum was a moderated panel discussion that drew all these threads together, exploring the global reconfiguration of business operating models, the deepening relationship between the Gulf and South Asia, and Sri Lanka’s specific role within that emerging picture. Moderated by Kris Wadia, the panel featured experts in their respective industries – Aaron Russell-Davison, Skandan ‘Ramesh’ Mahalingam, Bapsy Dastur and Thulci Aluwihare – whose combined perspectives across international capital markets, legal and governance advisory, UAE business development, and real estate produced a substantive and wide-ranging conversation that resonated strongly with the audience.
With the aim of deepening investment ties in the Gulf region, the forum also marked the ceremonial onboarding of Mujtaba Shaikhani, Founder and Principal of MH Investments and Managing Director of Gulf O Flex, as a Strategic Partner and Director for GCC and Pakistan of CHEC Port City Colombo (Pvt) Ltd. With operations spanning the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Sri Lanka, and recognised on the HVAC Power 30 list and as CEO of the Year by CBN Middle East.
The formal programme concluded with a vote of thanks delivered by Hon. Alexi Gunasekera, Consul General of Sri Lanka in Dubai and the Northern Emirates, who spoke to the significant potential he sees in UAE–Sri Lanka trade and his efforts to broaden interest across the Middle East and UAE in what Sri Lanka has to offer. He underscored that Sri Lanka had not come to Dubai to tell a story of the past, but to extend an invitation to be part of the story being written now – one in which UAE businesses and investors have a defining role to play.
Xiong Hongfeng, Managing Director of CHEC Port City Colombo (Pvt) Ltd, reflected on the significance of the forum for Port City Colombo’s regional outreach. “The interest we have seen at this forum from some of the UAE’s most significant businesses and investors is a reflection of what Port City Colombo represents: not just a development in Sri Lanka, but a platform for South Asia; one that offers the regulatory clarity, physical quality, and regional connectivity that globally mobile businesses and capital have been looking for.”
The forum marks a significant step in Sri Lanka’s structured engagement with the Gulf investment community, and reinforces Port City Colombo’s positioning as the institutional platform through which South Asia’s next chapter of growth becomes accessible to UAE businesses and investors. The event was the culmination of close coordination between the Consulate General of Sri Lanka to Dubai and the Northern Emirates and Port City Colombo, with the Consulate General’s office playing an instrumental role in ensuring the successful delivery of an engagement that reflected the depth and ambition of the bilateral relationship.
Over 40 persons have been injured (some critically) as two buses one travelling from Galle to Ampara and the other from Tangalle to Matara crashed head on at Talalla Matara this morning.
The injured have been admitted to the Matara General Hospital and Bathhegama District Hospital.
Turkiye beat a heavily changed United States 3-2 with a late Kaan Ayhan winner in an action-packed dead-rubber clash that gave the 2026 World Cup cohosts their sternest test so far ahead of the knockout rounds.
Already crowned the Group D winners, the US arrived in Los Angeles seeking to extend a perfect start with a third win, but with more than an eye on next Wednesday’s last 32 meeting against Bosnia and Herzegovina.
For Turkiye, already eliminated and without even a goal after disastrous losses to Paraguay and Australia, the only objective was to restore some pride.
Despite the low stakes and substantially reshuffled lineups for both teams, a packed Los Angeles Stadium was in a deafening mood.
For the third game running, the US got off to a dream start. One of nine changes, backup centre-back Auston Trusty, was unmarked at the far post from a US corner, given time to cushion the ball with his left foot, then blast it home.
It was the Celtic defender’s first international goal, and – at just under three minutes – the second-fastest by the US at a World Cup.
But Turkiye did not surrender. Having not scored in 62 efforts across their first two games, it was the 63rd time lucky for the Turks, and their star man, Arda Guler.
The Real Madrid forward duped Mark McKenzie with a clever dummy, allowing the ball to run down the right flank to Baris Alper Yilmaz.
Yilmaz crossed it back to Guler, who smashed it past Matt Turner to equalise in the 10th minute.
With Brad Pitt and Edward Norton among the Hollywood crowd, the game threatened to become a fight club, as Turkiye’s bench rushed the field to protest a foul by the combative Sebastian Berhalter, who earned a yellow.
The Americans thought they had restored the lead, with McKenzie the second US centre-back to put the ball in the net. But his sharp response to Ricardo Pepi’s saved shot was ruled offside.
In the 31st minute, the US found themselves behind for the first time this World Cup.
Guler spotted Eren Elmali’s overlapping run, feeding it to the wing-back, who cut the ball back from the left byline to Yilmaz, who steered it beyond the keeper.
‘Captain America’ returns
The half-time break proved the perfect tonic for the US. In the 49th minute, they were back level from a long throw by McKenzie.
The ball was cleared by Turkiye only as far as Berhalter, who did well to smash his shot low into the bottom corner.
The crowd erupted again just before the hour mark as Mauricio Pochettino sent on Christian Pulisic, undoubtedly the US’s biggest star, who will shoulder much of the cohosts’ hopes of a deep run into the knockouts.
Nicknamed “Captain America”, Pulisic earned his own round of “USA” chants, having not appeared since aggravating an injury in the first half of the opening win against Paraguay two weeks ago.
Pulisic immediately looked lively, twice having his effort blocked from close range after darting runs from the left. He knew less about a ball that looped off his shin onto the post.
Turkiye began to knock on the door again. A Yildiz effort curled inches wide in the 72nd minute.
And deep into stoppage time, Ayhan spoiled the US party, slamming the ball home from close range.
Turkiye were jubilant, while the American players clustered in a circle after the final whistle, seemingly determined not to let the gut punch spoil a campaign that had been off to a flying start.
[Aljazeera]
A delegation from UNICEF, accompanied by the United Nations Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Violence Against Children (VAC), Dr. Najat Maalla M’jid, met with Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya on Thursday [25 June] at the Parliament premises.
The discussion was focused on further strengthening cooperation and engagement with the Government of Sri Lanka on ensuring the protection and well-being of children, and efforts to prevent and respond to all forms of violence against children.
During the meeting, the Prime Minister acknowledged UNICEF’s continued support to Sri Lanka, particularly during the response to Cyclone Ditwah, as well as its longstanding contributions to reforms in education and early childhood education and initiatives aimed at preventing and addressing violence against children.
The Prime Minister noted that while Sri Lanka has made significant progress in developing policies, the challenge lies in ensuring their effective implementation. She emphasized the need to address gaps in institutional capacity and human resources, while strengthening coordination among the various parts responsible for child protection while highlighting the critical role of frontline workers in the delivery of child protection services.
During the discussion, representatives of UNICEF emphasized the importance of bringing together all relevant stakeholders to address gaps in child protection procedures and referral pathways. Particular attention was given to ensuring that children have clear and accessible mechanisms through which they can report abuse and seek assistance.
Dr. Najat Maalla M’jid highlighted the importance of strengthening the competencies of frontline professionals on psycho social support, early detection, defining direct signs, techniques of effective listening, and safeguarding privacy. The discussions also underscored the growing importance of protecting children from online violence and abuse, and the need to strengthen measures to ensure children’s safety in digital environments.
The meeting was attended by Dr. Najat Maalla M’jid, United Nations Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Violence Against Children; Ms. Emma Brigham, UNICEF Representative; Mr. Marc-André Franche, United Nations Resident Coordinator; officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; and additional secretaries and officials from the Ministry of Education.
[Prime Minister’s Media Division]
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