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NSC urges support for foreign investments here

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Zuhair

The Executive Committee of the National Shoora Council (NSC) wants countries worldwide including the 57-member Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) headquartered in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia to make and encourage direct investments in Sri Lanka in agriculture, dairy farming, fisheries, and housing projects preferably in collaboration with existing Sri Lankan developers.

NSC’s newly elected head M.M. Zuhair, President’s Counsel said that prospective private sector investors should be supported to make direct investments in Sri Lanka through the Board of Investments (BOI) and that the NSC, a non-profit civil society organisation, would facilitate in the national interest collaboration with existing Sri Lankan companies of repute across the board. Government-level investments could be facilitated to discuss investments at government to government level, an NSC media release said.

NSC would also urged the government to create an attractive environment to encourage investments here, presently affected by high electricity and labor costs. The civil society organization has decided to suggest that the country’s President visit Riyadh and invite Saudi government investments in Sri Lanka and also meet with the heads of the OIC and other high-profile entities. These are necessary to encourage closer cooperation to support the country’s efforts to develop and overcome the hitherto critical economic sectors. That would help other Middle Eastern countries too to come in, the NSC release said.

Sri Lanka presently receives annually the highest foreign exchange earnings from mainly the Middle East, with employment remittances topping US $ 6.58 billion in 2024, without any debt constraints, while the highest volume of remittances came last year from Kuwait, UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar!

Merchandise exports meanwhile earned US $12.78 billion as against imports costing US $ 18.84 billion in 2024 adding a foreign exchange liability of US $ 6.06 in the import-export sector. Tourism brought in US $ 3.17 billion while IT earnings were US $ (point).85billion in 2024.

Progressive sectors of the country should presently support genuine governmental efforts to overcome the economic sector bottlenecks and help achieve self-sufficiency and higher export targets, the NSC President has said.



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Heat Index at Caution Level in  the  Northern, North-central, North-western and Eastern provinces and in Hambantota and Monaragala districts during the day time

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Warm Weather Advisory
Issued by the Natural Hazards Early Warning Centre
Issued at 3.30 p.m. on 04 May 2026, valid for 05 May 2026.

The Heat index, the temperature felt on the human body is likely to increase up to ‘Caution level’ at some places in  the  Northern, North-central, North-western and Eastern provinces and in Hambantota and Monaragala districts during the day time.

The Heat Index Forecast is calculated by using relative humidity and maximum temperature and this is the condition that is felt on your body. This is not the forecast of maximum temperature. It is generated by the Department of Meteorology for the next day period and prepared by using global numerical weather prediction model data.


Effect of the heat index on the human body is mentioned in the above table and it is prepared on the advice of the Ministry of Health and Indigenous Medical Services.

ACTION REQUIRED
Job sites: Stay hydrated and takes breaks in the shade as often as possible.
Indoors: Check up on the elderly and the sick.
Vehicles: Never leave children unattended.
Outdoors: Limit strenuous outdoor activities, find shade and stay hydrated.
Dress: Wear lightweight and white or light-colored clothing.

Note:
In addition, please refer to advisories issued by the Disaster Preparedness & Response Division, Ministry of Health in this regard as well. For further clarifications please contact 011-7446491.

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Maldivian President plants a sapling to mark 60 years of Sri Lanka–Maldives Diplomatic Relations

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President of the Maldives, Dr Mohamed Muizzu, who is on a State Visit to Sri Lanka at the invitation of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, planted a sapling this afternoon (04) at Viharamahadevi Park in Colombo to commemorate 60 years of diplomatic relations between Sri Lanka and the Maldives.

Upon arrival at the Viharamahadevi Park in Colombo, President Dr Mohamed Muizzu was warmly received by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake. Children lined both sides of the pathway holding the national flags of the two countries and paid tribute to the visiting Maldivian President.

Among those present at the occasion were Deputy Speaker Rizvi Salih, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism, Vijitha Herath and the Mayor of Colombo, Vraie Cally Balthazaar, along with several other dignitaries.

[President’s Media Division (PMD)]

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Sri Lanka and Maldives strengthen ties with productive bilateral talks

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Following the bilateral meeting between President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu of the Maldives, who is currently on a State visit to Sri Lanka, official-level bilateral discussions between the delegations of the two countries were held this morning (04) at the Presidential Secretariat.

The discussions commenced after the formal welcome ceremony accorded to President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu earlier this morning within the Presidential Secretariat premises.

Extending a warm welcome to the Maldivian President, President Anura Kumara Dissanayake expressed his appreciation for accepting the invitation to visit Sri Lanka.

President Dissanayake noted that President Muizzu’s visit, taking place as the two nations mark 61 years of diplomatic relations, reflects the strong partnership, mutual trust and longstanding friendship between Sri Lanka and the Maldives. The President further expressed confidence that the visit would mark a new phase in bilateral relations.

The two leaders engaged in extensive discussions on ways to further expand and diversify multifaceted cooperation, including economic, cultural and social ties, in a manner that delivers mutual benefits to the people of both countries.

Key areas of focus included tourism promotion, educational cooperation, youth and sports development, challenges faced by both nations in the fisheries sector within the Indian Ocean region, education and vocational training, as well as defence training and broader security cooperation.

Representing the Government of Sri Lanka were Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism, Vijitha Herath, Minister of Labour and Deputy Minister of Finance and Planning, Anil Jayantha Fernando, Minister of Science and Technology, Krishantha Abeysena; Deputy Speaker Rizvie Salih, Secretary to the President, Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake, Secretary to the Ministry of Defence, Air Vice Marshal Sampath Thuyacontha (Retired), Additional Secretary to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (covering Europe, North America, East Asia and Oceania, Southeast Asia and Central Asia, South Asia, the Middle East and Legal Affairs) M. R. K. Lenagala, Sri Lanka’s High Commissioner to the Maldives, Mohamed Rizvi Hassan and Director (South Asia and SAARC) of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism, Mahesha Jayawardena.

The Maldivian delegation included Minister of Foreign Affairs Iruthisham Adam, Minister of Economic Development and Trade, Mohamed Saeed, Minister of Fisheries, Agriculture and Marine Resources, Ahmed Shiyam, Minister of Homeland Security and Technology, Ali Ihusaan, Chief of Staff to the President, Abdulla Fayaz, Principal Secretary to the President on Foreign Relations, Mohamed Naseer; Chief Government Spokesperson, Mohamed Hussain Shareef, High Commissioner of the Maldives to Sri Lanka,Masood Imad; Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and Chief of Protocol , Mohamed Shahudy, Deputy Minister at the President’s Office, Mr Mohamed Hassaan and Minister Counsellor at the Maldives High Commission in Sri Lanka, Mr. Ismail Mamdhooh.

[President’s Media Division (PMD)]

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