COLOMBO : Upon an invitation extended by the Safari Group of Companies in Qatar, Sri Lanka’s
Ambassador to the State of Qatar, Sithara Khan, recently held a meeting with the Managing
Director of the Safari Group, Shaheen Backer Madappat in Doha. Minister Counsellor of
the Embassy, Dharmasiri Wijewardana also joined the meeting.
During the meeting, Ambassador Khan briefed the Managing Director of the Safari Group
on Sri Lanka’s recent economic developments and outlined emerging opportunities for
trade, investment and collaborations. She extended an invitation for the Safari Group to
visit Sri Lanka and participate in the upcoming trade exhibitions to explore the country’s
diverse product offerings. The Ambassador also encouraged expansion of recruitment to the
company from Sri Lanka and engaged in a constructive dialogue on the welfare and wellbeing of Sri Lankan employees currently employed by the company.
The Managing Director, Shaheen noted that the company is importing products from Sri
Lanka and expressed strong interest in expanding its Sri Lankan product portfolio. He
agreed to nominate company representatives for immediate follow-up discussions with the
Embassy. He also requested the Embassy’s support and facilitation in streamlining future
recruitment processes from Sri Lanka with the objective of enabling the Safari Group to
expand employment opportunities for Sri Lankan nationals to work in Qatar.
Thereafter, a follow-up meeting was held with the Minister Counsellor at the Embassy with
key representatives from the Safari Group together with the participation of Vice President
of the Qatar–Sri Lanka Business Council, Ahamed Yoonus.
During the discussion, the Safari Group expressed interest in participating in the upcoming
‘Pro Food Pro Pack’ exhibition scheduled to take place in August 2025 in Sri Lanka, as well
as in exploring possible opportunities with potential buyers for Sri Lankan apparel products.
Furthermore, both parties agreed to jointly organize a “Sri Lankan Food Festival Week” in
November 2025, in collaboration with the Qatar–Sri Lanka Business Council
