Muscat-The Colombo Port City Economic Commission and CHEC Port City Colombo (Pvt) Ltd., in collaboration with the Embassy of Sri Lanka in the Sultanate of Oman, concluded a series of high-level engagements in Muscat aimed at deepening investment ties between Oman and Sri Lanka and positioning Port City Colombo as South Asia’s gateway for international business and investment.

The delegation, led by Harsha Amarasekera PC, Chairman of the Colombo Port City Economic Commission, engaged with His Excellency Qais bin Mohammed Al Yousef, Chairman of the Public Authority for Special Economic Zones and Free Zones (OPAZ), and Mr. Nasser Al Kindi, Chief Executive Officer of Invest Oman. Discussions focused on creating synergies between the Special Economic Zones of Oman and Sri Lanka to facilitate cross-border investment, business coordination, and regional expansion opportunities for investors operating across both jurisdictions. The delegation also explored avenues for strengthening investment promotion collaboration and facilitating investor referrals between the two countries.

The visit culminated in an investor forum at the Sheraton Oman Hotel, bringing together leading Omani corporates, family offices, investors, financial institutions, and business leaders to explore investment opportunities within Port City Colombo and Sri Lanka’s broader economic transformation agenda.

Opening the forum, H E W.A.K.S. De Alwis, Ambassador of Sri Lanka to the Sultanate of Oman, spoke to the longstanding maritime and commercial ties between the two nations, noting that Muscat and Colombo have functioned as Indian Ocean gateways for centuries. He pointed to Port City Colombo as a platform through which Omani businesses can access South Asia, while Sri Lanka deepens its economic engagement with the Gulf, reflecting a shared commitment to fostering connectivity, trade, and long-term prosperity.

Harsha Amarasekera PC, Chairman of the Colombo Port City Economic Commission, highlighted the strong commercial momentum within Port City Colombo over the past year, pointing to significant development activity, growing international investor interest, and increasing demand from regional businesses seeking a strategic base in South Asia. He emphasised Port City Colombo’s role as a complementary platform to established Gulf business hubs: “As Oman continues to establish itself as a gateway to the GCC and the wider Middle East, Port City Colombo is being developed as South Asia’s premier international business destination,” said Amarasekera. “Together, we see a compelling opportunity to create a seamless investment corridor connecting the Gulf with South Asia, enabling businesses and investors to expand across both regions through complementary platforms.”

Sri Lanka’s strategic positioning at the crossroads of the Indian Ocean, combined with a significantly reformed regulatory environment and a purpose-built Special Economic Zone offering 100% foreign ownership, 16 designated foreign currencies, and a single-window regulatory authority, makes it an increasingly compelling base for Gulf businesses seeking access to South Asia’s rapidly growing markets. Port City Colombo operationalises that advantage, offering Omani investors a familiar, institutionally credible, and cost-competitive platform serving as a gateway to establishing a South Asian footprint and access to a consumer market of over 2 billion people.

The engagements in Muscat form part of Port City Colombo’s broader international investment promotion strategy, which seeks to deepen partnerships with key markets across the Gulf region and beyond. The visit further reinforced the shared vision of Oman and Sri Lanka to enhance economic cooperation, facilitate cross-border investment, and create new pathways for businesses seeking growth opportunities across the Middle East, South Asia, and the wider Indian Ocean economy.

Port City Colombo is a modern, master-planned city development envisioned as a world-class international business and lifestyle hub in South Asia. Spanning 269 hectares along the main East–West maritime route, it is Sri Lanka’s first foreign currency-designated multi-services Special Economic Zone (SEZ) and the country’s largest public–private partnership development project.

Governed by the Colombo Port City Economic Commission, the project operates under a dedicated regulatory framework that offers internationally benchmarked standards, strong investor protection, ease of doing business, and competitive fiscal and non-fiscal incentives.

Designed to attract high-value Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), Port City Colombo facilitates sectors including financial services, IT and digital services, global trading, maritime and logistics, professional services, and regional headquarters operations. Upon completion, the estimated US$15 billion development is expected to generate significant employment, knowledge transfer, and long-term economic growth for Sri Lanka.