Sri Lankan exports to Saudi Arabia up 19% in 2025: envoy

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Sri Lankan ambassador Ameer Ajwad, center, with Mansour Al-Ajmi, Director of International Cooperation at Riyadh Chamber and officials from CBL Group and Aamalcom Trading. (Supplied)
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Sri Lankan ambassador Ameer Ajwad speaking at the CBL Group and Aamalcom Trading function in Riyadh. (Supplied)
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Updated 16 December 2025
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Sri Lankan exports to Saudi Arabia up 19% in 2025: envoy

  • Sri Lanka and Saudi Arabia established their Joint Business Council last month, marking a major step toward strengthening economic cooperation between the two countries
  • Ambassador Ameer Ajwad: Sri Lanka’s exports to the Kingdom recorded a double-digit increase of 19 percent from January to September 2025

RIYADH: Sri Lankan Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Ameer Ajwad said that the bilateral trade and economic cooperation between the two countries is expanding following the establishment of a Joint Business Council.

Sri Lanka and Saudi Arabia established their Joint Business Council last month, marking a major step toward strengthening economic cooperation between the two countries while celebrating 50 years of their diplomatic relations.

The ambassador told Arab News Tuesday: “Sri Lanka’s exports to the Kingdom recorded a double-digit increase of 19 percent from January to September 2025, compared to the same period in the previous year.”

He added that total bilateral trade expanded by 9 percent, noting that these figures clearly demonstrate the growing complementarities between the two economies.

The ambassador also expressed hope that the recent establishment of the Saudi–Sri Lanka Business Council would be “a game-changer, serving as a vital platform for structured dialogue, trade facilitation, investment promotion, and closer collaboration between the private sectors of both countries.”

Ajwad recently launched Ceylon Biscuits Co. products at the Four Seasons Hotel in Riyadh. 

Sri Lanka’s CBL Group, in collaboration with Aamalcom Trading Ltd of Saudi Arabia, brings CBL’s popular range of biscuits, chocolates, confectioneries, and snacks to Saudi consumers.

Launching the CBL products, the ambassador pointed out that the partnership marks a strategic milestone and is expected to enhance the visibility of Sri Lankan products in the Kingdom, creating new avenues for commercial collaboration. 

He also underscored that this initiative reflects the growing confidence of Saudi partners in Sri Lanka’s industrial and commercial capabilities, and noted that the CBL–Amalcom collaboration is expected to contribute to a further increase in Sri Lankan exports to Saudi Arabia in the days ahead.


Saudi chef wins culinary competition

Updated 18 December 2025
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Saudi chef wins culinary competition

  • Event aimed to empower chefs’ ability to showcase talent on global scale 
  • Bayan Abdullah Al-Sudani: It (has) encouraged me to participate in more challenging spaces

RIYADH: A Saudi has won the Saudi Elite Chefs competition at Horeca Riyadh.

The event, which was organized by the Culinary Arts Commission of the Ministry of Culture, in alignment with the ministry’s long-term goals, aimed to empower Saudi chefs’ ability to showcase their talent and creativity on a global scale.

Speaking to Arab News, the winner, Bayan Abdullah Al-Sudani, shed light on how the competition equipped her with confidence for the future, saying: “It was a big challenge, and I faced off against strong chefs. It (has) encouraged me to participate in more challenging spaces.”

On her future plans, Al-Sudani wants to give back to the industry, and added: “I look forward to opening the Bayan Academy soon so that I can support chefs and help them with the pastry sector specifically.”

Celebration and achievement were echoed throughout, and it was evident at the event that the culinary industry in the Kingdom is hungry for growth, recognition, and global competition.

Seba Zarea, general manager of strategy and program delivery at the Culinary Arts Commission, told Arab News of the many facets of the industry that the ministry was prioritizing.

Zarea said: “This competition is just one of the initiatives that the Culinary Arts Commission is working on. There are also local scholarships (and) vocational training. We are also working on attracting the best culinary schools to Saudi. For example, Le Cordon Bleu is opening next year in Misk City.”

Zarea stressed the rewards of events like the Saudi Elite Chefs competition, adding that the winner had a fast track to Bocuse d’Or and the World Pastry Cup — representing global opportunities to place both competitors and Saudi cuisine on the map.

Zarea added: “Food is a soft power and, in terms of tourism, food is a universal language so we codified the Saudi cuisine, an initiative started four years ago, and we came up with more than 1,300 codified recipes, items, and local produce from the Kingdom.”

Zarea went into depth on some of the behind-the-scenes efforts that have helped create the food that the Kingdom is able to showcase.

She shared the example of the Wild Plant Initiative, a program designed to explore plants of various regions in the Kingdom to discover new ingredients that can be integrated into Saudi cuisine.

These efforts go into helping to build an industry that is rooted in culture, creativity, and passion. 

In the same way that the Saudi Elite Chefs competition provides its winners and participants with the tools to bring their success to global attention, the Culinary Arts Commission works to elevate the Kingdom’s cuisine through tourism and hospitality.

Zarea said: “This sector is the easiest way to showcase the culture.”