Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath has expressed his condolences to the Royal Family of Dubai and the people of Dubai following the death of Sheikh Ahmed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.
In a message posted on X, Herath said he was “deeply saddened” by the passing of Sheikh Ahmed and extended his “deepest condolences and heartfelt sympathies” to the Royal Family and the people of Dubai, Daily Mirror reported on Tuesday evening.
Sheikh Ahmed was the younger brother of UAE Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. He died on 21 September at the age of 76.
Why Colombo responds
The message follows the pattern of Sri Lankan condolences to Gulf ruling families, most recently the President’s message to Qatar on the death of Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani in July.
The United Arab Emirates matters to Sri Lanka well beyond protocol. Dubai is a major destination for Sri Lankan migrant labour — a Chinese contractor was recruiting 2,000 Sri Lankan workers for the Al Maktoum airport expansion earlier this year — and Emirates remains one of the larger foreign carriers serving Colombo. Dubai is also a recurring destination in Sri Lankan law enforcement matters, with several organised-crime suspects deported to Colombo from the emirate over the past year.
Still unanswered. The filing is brief and carries no detail beyond the minister’s message: it does not say whether the President or the government has issued a separate statement, whether Sri Lanka’s mission in Abu Dhabi or its Consulate General in Dubai will open a book of condolence, or what mourning arrangements the emirate has announced. This desk found no other verified Sri Lankan newsroom carrying the condolence at the time of writing, and could not reach an international wire service to confirm the funeral or mourning details independently.
