Harin says FTAs key to boost exports

By Nuwan Senarathna 

Telecommunication, Digital Infrastructure and Foreign Employment Minister Harin Fernando yesterday emphasised that Free Trade Agreements (FTA) would help boost Sri Lanka’s exports. “If we want to improve our exports we have to look for new markets, and an FTA is the best way to do that,” he said at a press conference held at Sirikotha. He stated that Free Trade Agreements would enable Sri Lanka to improve its trade balance and confront the recent currency depreciation. He also stated that the FTA would pave the way to enter a new market with fewer constraints.

“If we observe global trends, we can understand that the entire world is experiencing the same situation; this arose because of the political rivalry between the US and China. But to overcome this we have to strengthen the rupee by increasing exports,” he added. He pointed out that Sri Lanka could not be an isolated nation in the current global arena. He added that if people observed the Government’s policies, which were based on mature economic principles, they would be able to gauge the reality of the situation.