Sri Lanka hosts ninth investor dialogue with EU investors operating in the country
Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Development Strategies and International Trade hosted the ninth European Union (EU) – Sri Lanka Investor Dialogue, which is an instrument set up in 2017 to resolve issues faced by investors from the European Union operating in Sri Lanka under the country’s Board of Investment (BOI).
The high-level meeting, which promotes bilateral cooperation between the European Union members states and Sri Lanka, was co-chaired by Malik Samarawickrama, Sri Lanka’s Minister of Development Strategies and International Trade and European Union Ambassador, Tung-Lai Margue, the state owned Daily News reported.
“The Investor Dialogue has become a useful way to address issues concerning European investments and achieve results,” Ambassador Margue has been quoted as saying.
He has reportedly thanked the Sri Lankan authorities for their efforts in improving the country’s business climate and highlighted that this forum is the way to prove to foreign investors that they are welcome in the country.
Margue has further noted that despite the numerous achievements, both sides can work together to do more and to do better.
Minister Samarawickrama has thanked the EU for the excellent cooperation, openness to discussion, and the effective follow-up it has shown.
He has noted that currently eight task forces are working on improving Sri Lanka’s position on the Doing Business Index and pointed out that significant progress has been made and has further highlighted that the EU is one of Sri Lanka’s largest trading partners and its main export destination, adding that fisheries exports have more than doubled since the GSP+ has been reactivated.
The Minister has concluded stating that Sri Lanka must have mechanisms to resolve investor issues, such as the EU-Sri Lanka Investor Dialogue.
The Heads of Mission of several European Union states had also participated in the talks, raising concerns about issues encountered by some of their national companies and other European businesses, but had also encouraged further cooperation.
OSL take:
The investor dialogue between Sri Lanka and the EU is aimed at addressing bottlenecks and other issues faced by EU investors engaged in investment ventures in the island. Previous such dialogues have yielded many positive results thereby building an interest among the European business community to explore business/investment opportunities in Sri Lanka. The country’s geographical positioning in the Indian Ocean, the ease of doing business environment in the country and the many trade agreements as well as the trade concessions enjoyed by Sri Lanka have made the island the ideal business destination in the South Asian region.
| Article Code : | VBS/AT/21102019/Z_2 |