The Board of Investment of Sri Lanka (BOI) is targeting foreign investment of US$5 billion in the next six years after securing US$602 million last year and US$ 250 million for the first three months this year.

Disclosing the board’s ambitious investment promotion (FDI) plan, BOI Chairman Dhammika Perera told a media conference in Colombo on Tuesday that they plan to generate 80,000 new direct employment opportunities, develop 50,000 new hotel rooms, set up 50 IT/BPO companies, add 5,000 hospital beds and establish 25 higher education institutes for 30,000 students during this period.
He said that the BOI received US$5,600 million as FDIs since 1978 and 50% of this amount had been received during the 2006-2009 period.

Mr Perera announced that nine new companies will start projects at the Horana Export Processing Zone. The total value of their investment once completed will be US$ 57.15 million and 1,221 workers employed at the zone.

He revealed that Unilever Sri Lanka will set up a massive factory at the zone that will be producing food items, soap and toothpaste and investing US$ 40 million and providing employment for100 workers. Another 300 room Hilton hotel will come up in Tangalle, he said.

The Horana zone in the Kalutara District commenced operations in November 1999 on 385 acres. The current total investment there is US$54 million and its 11 enterprises provides employment to 1,623 workers.