France to increase economic cooperation with SL

France is very eager to strengthen bilateral relations and economic cooperation with Sri Lanka in several areas such as trade, investment, tourism, fisheries, water purification, environment protection and curtailing drug smuggling. French Ambassador Jean-Marin Schuh said this when he called on President Maithripala Sirisena yesterday at the President’s Office. The Ambassador said the number of French trade and investment businessmen and tourist arrival has increased substantially after the new government assumed office in January this year in Sri Lanka. He said a leading French company has shifted its Asian headquarter to Sri Lanka and investors too look at Sri Lanka as a potential location for investments. He said the number of French tourists arrive in Sri Lanka is expected to cross 100,000 mark this year for the first time. President Sirisena thanked France for the assistance given for development activities in Sri Lanka. He made a special mention about the new water treatment plant established in M0atale. President also asked for French assistance for major programmes such as food production, prevention of drug smuggling and eradication of drugs and protection of environment. Ambassador Schuh said France is organizing a major international climate conference called CUP 21in Paris in December 2015 and asked for Sri Lanka’s participation to make the event a success. He said more than 40,000 people will attend the climate conference.