Chamber of Commerce Investment and Business Conclave kicks off today

The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce organised ‘Sri Lanka Investment and Business Conclave 2016’ will commence this evening with the participation of 125 plus potential investors from 27 countries. 

Apart from them, 130 Sri Lankan business executives representing top local firms will also take part in the event in order to meet the visiting investors and explore opportunities for business partnerships.  

Ahead of the inauguration President Maithripala Sirisena hailed the conference for attracting foreign interest to investment opportunities in Sri Lanka. 

He pointed out the Government’s major drive to attract quality FDI to help propel the development drive of the country. Hence, this initiative by the country’s leading chamber, bringing over 100 foreign investors from around 20 plus countries, is a much-needed boost to the Government’s development focus, he noted.

“I am glad to note that the investors who are coming to take part in this forum have shown an interest to invest in diverse economic sectors, such as agriculture, apparels, education, export manufacturing, export services, infrastructure, knowledge services, tourism and leisure and several other areas.”

“I take this opportunity to call upon foreign investors and their local counterparts to use this excellent opportunity to find areas of mutual cooperation, which can be utilised to each other’s benefit by tapping the vast amount of economic opportunities available in Sri Lanka,” he added. 

This initiative of the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce was hailed as “laudable” by the President as such events will assist Sri Lanka to achieve its goal of becoming an important economic hub in the South Asian region.

The inauguration session of the event will take place this evening at the Cinnamon Grand Hotel with the participation of Chief Guest, Minister of Foreign Affairs Mangala Samaraweera and Guest of Honour, Minister of Special Assignments Dr. Sarath Amunugama.

The keynote speech will be delivered by Dialog Axiata in Malaysia Chairman Datuk Azzat Kamaludin, while Ceylon Chamber of Commerce Chairman Samantha Ranatunga will deliver the welcome address and a message from Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe will be read at the event. 

The second day of the event (9 March) will consist of key business sessions, followed by B2B meetings with visiting investors and their local counterparts. The investors will also hold B2G meetings during the second day of the Conclave.

The first business session of the second day will discuss the topic of ‘Unlocking New Opportunities for Potential Partnerships in Sri Lanka,’ with high profile Cabinet Ministers Minister of Finance Ravi Karunanayake, Minister of Strategic Development and International Trade Malik Samarawickrama, Minister of Public Enterprise Development Kabir Hashim and Minister of Megapolis Development Patali Champika Ranawaka taking part as panellists. Renowned economist Dr. Indrajith Coomaraswamy will moderate the session. 

‘The Success Story of Investment and Continuing Business Partnerships in Sri Lanka’ will also come under discussion during the conclave with Camso Loadstar Ltd. Chairman Pierre Pringiers sharing the success story of his company’s operations in Sri Lanka.

Following the above sessions, a discussion also would be held under the title of ‘Strategies of Attracting Business Partnerships and Investments to Sri Lanka,’ with the participation of BOI Chief Upul Jayasuriya, Export Development Board Chairperson/CEO Indira Malwatte, Colombo Stock Exchange Chairman Vajira Kulatilake and Urban Development Authority Chairman Ranjith Fernando. The session will be moderated by Ceylon Chamber of Commerce Chief Economist Anushka Wijesinha.

The business sessions will be followed by a large number of B2B meetings between the visiting investors and local counterparts and also a series of G2B meetings with Government officials and visiting investors.

On the third day of the event, 10 March, the visiting investors will make field visits to Export Processing Zones, Port of Colombo and the Colombo Stock Exchange.

‘Sri Lanka Investment and Business Conclave 2016’, organized by the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce has attracted foreign investors from 27 countries, with the investors mainly expected to focus on the areas of export manufacturing agriculture, infrastructure development, export services, local knowledge services, power and energy, tourism and leisure sectors, where the majority of the investors are keen to find opportunities.