State Minister of Industry and Commerce and Resettlement of Protracted Displaced Persons, Co-operative and Vocational Training & Skills Development, Buddhika Pathirana, speaking at the working session of the 88th İzmir International Trade Fair 2019 on 5 September noted that it is high time to initiate a strategy to explore trade and investment opportunities available in Sri Lanka & Turkey since the current trade & investments statistics do not reflect the historical and longstanding relations between the two countries.
The State Minister Pathirana also invited Turkish investors to look towards Sri Lanka for investment partnership. During his presentation, the Minister elaborated opportunities available, and government incentives that can be provided to potential investors and sectors open for foreign investors.
A large number of Turkish businessmen, representatives of Izmir and Aegean region business chambers and international participants from 29 countries attended the working session.
State Minister also paid a courtesy call on Trade Minister of Turkey, Ruhsar Pekcan. During the meeting, they exchanged views on enhancing trade cooperation between Sri Lanka and Turkey. They also highlighted the importance of holding a second session of the Joint Committee on Economic and Technical Cooperation in Sri Lanka as earliest as possible and singing the pending MoU on Customs cooperation and agreements on Prevention of Double Taxation and Promotion and Protection of Reciprocal Investment.
Ambassador of Sri Lanka in Turkey, M.R. Hassen, Additional Secretary (Policy Development & Commerce) of Ministry of Industry and Commerce and Resettlement of Protracted Displaced Persons, Co-operative and Vocational Training & Skills Development, S.L Naseer, Honorary Consul of Sri Lanka in Izmir Oguz Akcura and Counsellor ( Commercial) of the Embassy, Yoshitha Jayasuriya were present at the above occasion.
Sri Lanka delegation led by State Minister Buddhika Pathirana also attended the inauguration ceremony of the trade exhibition of the 88th İzmir International Trade Fair 2019 which was attended by Trade Minister of Turkey, Ruhsar Pekcan, Governor of Izmir, Mayors of Izmir and Istanbul and international participants.
On the sidelines of the trade fair, State Minister also met Minister of Development, Industry and Trade of Nicaragua, Orlando Delgadilo, Deputy Minister of Industry of Cuba, Eloy Alvarez Martinez and had extensive discussions with the Presidents of Aegean Region Chamber of Industry, İzmir Chamber of Commerce and Aegean Exporters’ Association.
