### 📈 Impact of Middle East Conflict on Sri Lanka

Recent regional escalations under the Netanyahu-Trump dynamic pose significant indirect risks to Sri Lanka’s economic stability, primarily through supply chain disruptions and tourism. Key Economic Indicators & Trade • Tea Barter with Iran: US$ 62.14 Mn arrangement remains active despite low additional trade (Exports: US$ 5 Mn; Imports: US$ 2.4 Mn). • UAE Relations: 7th largest export destination at US$ 334.63 Mn; imports reach US$ 1.29 Bn, mainly sugar and bakery products. • Saudi Arabia: Exports total US$ 115.42 Mn, dominated by tea (US$ 72 Mn) and fruit & vegetables (Bananas: US$ 7 Mn). Sectoral Breakdowns • Tourism: High risk as Gulf "super-connector" airlines—carrying 25% of all passengers and 40% of European/Russian tourists—face operational hubs closures. • Energy & Agriculture: Rising costs for petroleum and fertilizer are expected. Sri Lanka imports US$ 55 Mn+ in fertilizer from Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Jordan, and Bahrain. • Labor Migration: Over 600,000 workers stationed in the UAE (350k) and Saudi Arabia (246k) are within the broader theater of conflict. Strategic Vulnerabilities • Strait of Hormuz: Critical for global commodities; 31% of urea and 18% of ammonia pass through, threatening local agricultural input prices. • Infrastructure: Conflict highlights the need for diversification in ICT/BPM (undersea cables) and aviation hubs to mitigate "single-point-of-failure" risks. _Summary based on provisional 2024/2026 data and current geopolitical events._