A Sri Lankan minister made a plea this week for more investments from Belgium companies.
“The expanding growth opportunities in Sri Lanka, compared with the current global economic situation, should provide the impetus for forward looking European companies to increase their exposure to the country. Many of the 40 Belgian companies which visited the country for the first time only a year ago, have already begun productive trade and investment ventures with their local partners, and are also supporting the major infrastructure development efforts of Sri Lanka,” said Rishad Bathiudeen, Minister of Industry and Commerce of Sri Lanka, during observations made when he inaugurated the 'Sri Lanka Economic Forum', and the B2B meetings with the participation of over 80 Belgian companies on
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| Seen here Minister Rishad Bathiudeen addresses the forum with others including Ravinatha Aryasinha (Sri Lanka’s Ambassador to Belgium, Luxembourg and the EU) in the picture. |
Thursday at the Brussels Enterprise Commerce and Industry (BECI) auditorium in Brussels.
He said he was encouraged by the fact that leading Belgian companies such as Besix, CFE, Bam Balteau and Dredging International have recently decided to locate to Sri Lanka, and hoped that this would encourage others to follow.
Jan De Brabanter, Vice-President of Brussels Enterprise Commerce and Industry (BECI) welcoming the Minister and business delegation to Belgium recalled the long standing relationship between BECI and the Sri Lanka Embassy in Belgium explained how the business relations between the two countries grew in the past few years.
Sri Lanka’s Ambassador to Belgium, Luxembourg and the EU Ravinatha Aryasinha described the present growth in Belgian business interest in Sri Lanka as a result of a process – one that commenced well before the ending of the terrorist conflict, and which has grown exponentially since the conflict ended and peace and stability restored to Sri Lanka over two and a half years ago.
“This trend has been supported by the Government of Belgium through its positive travel advisories, improved country risk rating, enhanced export credit facilities thereby continuing to be an active partner in events that promote Sri Lanka,” he said, in a statement issued by the Commerce Ministry in Colombo. |
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