Investor interest surges for Sri Lanka’s MRIA development
The Morning: Investor appetite for the development of the Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport (MRIA) has shown a marked improvement, with over 45 participants recorded at the pre-proposal meeting under its fresh Expression of Interest (EOI) process.
Speaking to The Sunday Morning Business, Deputy Minister of Ports and Civil Aviation Janitha Ruwan Kodithuwakku revealed that the fresh EOI process had attracted a level of interest not seen during the previous EOI process.
“We called EOIs for the MRIA, and the process is scheduled to close by mid-July. We have seen strong interest. When EOIs were called for the MRIA under the previous regime, only one party expressed any interest. For this EOI process, over 45 potential investors participated at the pre-proposal meeting,” he stated.
The Deputy Minister attributed the increased interest in this fresh EOI process to the confidence among foreign investors in the current Government.
Kodithuwakku further said that the participants at the pre-proposal meeting had expressed substantial interest in the project.
He added that the authorities were expecting proposals from a substantial number of these investors, comfortably eclipsing the single proposal received during the previous EOI process held under the former regime.
The renewed interest follows the Government’s decision to restructure the MRIA development project.
Speaking to The Sunday Morning Business earlier this year, the Deputy Minister revealed plans to invite fresh EOIs under multiple service categories for the comprehensive and holistic development of the airport, opting to cancel the EOI process commenced by the previous regime, which had called only for a passenger operator for the MRIA.
Accordingly, a fresh Cabinet paper was filed seeking fresh EOIs for the restructured project under several service categories.
At the time, the Deputy Minister explained that the restructured project was to be segmented into distinct categories for which EOIs would be solicited separately, including Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO), passenger operations, cargo, hotel and hospitality services, and flying schools.
OSL take:
Sri Lanka’s economic recovery and ongoing development agenda are creating a growing range of business/investment opportunities for international businesses/investors. As the country advances its vision of becoming a strategic hub in South Asia, sectors such as aviation, logistics, ports, tourism, renewable energy, manufacturing, and infrastructure are attracting renewed interest. The strong response to the fresh EOI process for the development of the MRIA, which drew more than 45 participants at the pre-proposal meeting, reflects improving investor confidence and highlights the increasing appeal of large-scale public-private partnership projects. Coupled with continued economic reforms and efforts to enhance the ease of doing business, Sri Lanka is positioning itself as an attractive destination for foreign investment, offering businesses/investors, business/investment opportunities to tap into regional markets while contributing to the country’s long-term growth and transformation.
| Article Code : | VBS/AT/20260716Z_1 |