Singapore business delegation to visit Sri Lanka

A business delegation from Singapore will visit Sri Lanka in the second quarter of this year looking at investment opportunities in several sectors.

The Sri Lanka Board of Investment (BOI) and Singapore Business Federation signed the MOU to promote investment relations between the two countries during President Mahinda Rajapaksa's visit to Singapore.

The business delegation will seek investment opportunities in several areas including infrastructure construction, education, healthcare, manufacturing, and trading and logistics.

Secretary to the President Lalith Weeratunga on behalf of Sri Lanka and the Chief Executive Officer of Singapore Business Federation, Ho Meng Kit on behalf of Singapore signed the MoU at Singapore President's residence, Istana Palace in the presence of President Mahinda Rajapaksa and Prime Minister of Singapore Lee Hsien Loong.

Under the MoU, the two countries are expected to strengthen the institutional relations between them.

Accordingly, both organizations will, among other things, promote joint venture collaborations between their private sectors, create a congenial atmosphere for business and investment in all economic sectors of Sri Lanka and Singapore, use their countries as a hub to trade and invest in the region and exchange investment policies and information relating to relevant projects.

Singaporean companies are especially keen in investing in real estate development, information technology, knitting and garment industry and gem and jewellery manufacture.

Trade between Sri Lanka and Singapore during the year 2011 amounted to US$ 1.85 billion and after the end of conflict in Sri Lanka, trade between the two countries has risen by 53 percent.