Seychelles Minister invites Sri Lanka to tap West African market

Thursday, 4 September 2014 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

The Minister of Finance, Trade and Investment of Seychelles Pierre F. Laporte invited the Sri Lankan business community to use Seychelles as a platform to enter the West African Market. “As a member of the Southern Economic Community, we have free market access to the Southern African market, it would benefit Sri Lankans if they operate from Seychelles, either through processing or transhipment,” Laporte said.

The Minister made this invitation when he visited the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce last week along with the head of Seychelles Board of Investment Rupert Simeon The duo was met by the Acting Secretary General of the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce Alikie Perera, while Senior Assistant Secretary General Lilakshini De Mel and the Chambers, Chief Economist Gayathri Gunaruwan were also present during the occasion. Speaking further, Laporte said that the proposed Joint Trade Commission, once it starts working, will help both Sri Lanka and Seychelles to use the opportunities presented. “Now we need to set up set up physical committees to establish instruments to make things happens from either side, and that will happen soon,” he said. He said, while Sri Lanka can use Seychelles to target the West African markets, the latest Economic Cooperation Agreement will help his country to target the Indian and Pakistani market through Sri Lanka. Commenting during the occasion, Acting Secretary General of the Ceylon Chamber Alikie Perera said,” Small countries like us should work together to find and share economic opportunities.” Both parties also agreed to work together in the future towards enhancing the newfound economic cooperation between the two countries.” Seychelles, an Indian Ocean archipelago, primarily depends on the fishing and the tourism industries.