BUILDING SRI LANKA’S ENERGY FUTURE

Ladies and Gentlemen,

The Sri Lanka Licensing Round 2026 is an important milestone for Sri Lanka but will form only the beginning of a much longer journey.

The discovery and responsible development of offshore petroleum resources have the potential to strengthen Sri Lanka's energy system, improve energy security and support

wider economic transformation. This is contingent however on many aspects aligning.

Reliable and affordable energy is essential for industrial development, investment, employment and national competitiveness.

Natural gas, in particular, has the potential to play an increasingly important role in

Sri Lanka's future energy mix, supporting electricity generation, industrial growth

and the transition towards a more diversified and resilient energy system.

Our responsibility is to ensure that these resources are developed in a manner that reflects the highest standards of environmental stewardship, operational safety and good governance.

Successful outcomes will depend upon open dialogue and collaboration between Government, industry, investors, communities and technical partners.

By working together, we have the opportunity to create an upstream sector that delivers

long-term benefits for the people of Sri Lanka while contributing to regional energy security and economic prosperity.

We look forward to building those partnerships and to welcoming companies that share

our commitment to responsible resource development.

Thank you.