Sri Lanka calls for global investment partnerships
The Morning: Foreign Affairs and Foreign Employment Deputy Minister Arun Hemachandra called for international business and investment partnership to be enabled during the Sri Lanka Economic and Investment Summit 2025 to be held in Colombo in December this year.
At a hybrid briefing session on 10 October, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism and the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce joined hands to engage the Diplomatic community, seeking their involved partnership for the “Sri Lanka Economic and Investment Summit 2025” to be held in Colombo on 2 and 3 December in Colombo.
The summit aims to strengthen international partnerships through private sector engagement, at a defining moment in Sri Lanka’s economic journey marked by resilience, reform, and renewed momentum, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism said.
The hybrid session which included the Diplomatic Missions in Colombo and Missions concurrently accredited was presided over by Deputy Minister Arun Hemachandra with Ceylon Chamber of Commerce (CCC) Chairperson Krishan Balendra leading the chamber team.
Hemachandra highlighted the opportunity for business partnerships to be enabled at the Summit arising from the country’s remarkable post-crisis recovery with sustained economic growth, improved reserves, and strong reform momentum.
He positioned the country as a stable, strategic investment hub, inviting international partners to engage in long-term, high-impact economic collaboration across key growth sectors and pointed to the opportunity the December event in Colombo provides for such collaboration, the Ministry stated.
CCC Chairperson Krishan Balendra described the summit as a high-impact platform for investment dialogue, showcasing reforms and sector opportunities. He urged diplomatic missions to mobilise foreign investor delegations and amplify Sri Lanka’s message as Asia’s next emerging opportunity.
The chamber’s Secretary General Buwanekabahu Perera framed the summit as a confidence-building event, connecting policy, private sector readiness, and global interest.
He affirmed the chamber’s commitment to working closely with the Diplomatic Missions to facilitate participation and promote Sri Lanka as a credible gateway for trade and investment, the statement added.
According to the statement, the briefing is part of a joint collaborative process launched by the Ministry and the Chamber, Sri Lanka Missions overseas and overseas partner Chambers of the CCC.
OSL take:
After a quick turnaround from an unprecedented economic crisis in 2022, Sri Lanka is once again on a growth trajectory and is on the path to becoming a hub in the South Asian region. The strength, resilience and growth of Sri Lanka’s economy has attracted the attention of many foreign businesses/investors. As the country is now poised as an emerging business destination in the region, the expanding economy has presented a host of business/investment opportunities to foreign businesses/investors on the lookout for lucrative ventures in the region. Sri Lanka’s strategic positioning in the Indian Ocean, the many trade agreements as well as trade concessions enjoyed with many foreign countries and the improving ease of doing business environment have all indicate the increasing business potential in the country and helped boost Sri Lanka as an ideal destination for foreign businesses/investors. Foreign businesses could also look at setting up bases in Sri Lanka to engage with other countries in the region while also looking at expanding operations through partnerships or joint ventures with local businesses. Given all these factors, Sri Lanka is definitely on the fast track to become a regional hub.
| Article Code : | VBS/AT/20251016/Z_1 |