Mega summit to promote business partnerships

Walter LIYANARACHCHI

A mega summit organized by the European Chamber of Commerce of Sri Lanka will be held in Sri Lanka to initiate Sri Lankan companies to set up joint ventures and trade partnerships with European companies.

The summit will enable local entrepreneurs to build business partnerships, entering into marketing agreements, technology transfer and business co-operation with the European companies. The event titled Sri Lanka Business Summit will be held from May 5-7 at the BMICH.

The ECCSL will invite 15 Ministers, Head of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka, Secretary, Finance Ministry, Advisor, Policy Planning, Chairman BOI, diplomatic missions, foreign agencies and other relevant bodies.

The objective of the summit is basically, a concerted effort towards rebuilding the nation and unleashing Sri Lanka’s potential, said Executive Vice President and Project Director of ECCSL, Dilipan Thyagarajah.

In keeping with the Government’s broad economic policy the Summit will also focus on steering investment to disadvantaged areas such as the North and Eastern Provinces, said an ECCSL official. Funds utilized to reconstruct the region is expected to be spent on sustainable economic projects in such provinces and foreign funding is available from various developed countries and international development banks which are keen to fund identified projects, he said.

This event is open to all business sectors and it is expected that a majority of the participating foreign companies will opt to invest on infrastructure, electronic devices and components, textiles and apparel industry, rubber and rubber based industry, office supplies, building materials, ceramic industry, coir/fibre based industry, agro industry and horticulture, the official said.