The Russia–Asia Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs held its annual year-end gathering on 9 December 2025, recognizing partners who contributed to the organization’s development initiatives. The event brought together business leaders, diplomatic representatives, and strategic collaborators committed to strengthening economic ties across the region.
Sri Lanka received special recognition as the event’s “Discovery of the Year,” reflecting the country’s growing potential for mutually beneficial cooperation within the Union’s broader development agenda. The Ambassador of Sri Lanka to the Russian Federation, Shobini Gunasekera, attended the ceremony and conveyed appreciation for the recognition, noting that it underscored Sri Lanka’s readiness to expand engagement with Russian and Eurasian partners.
During the session, the First Secretary (Trade) of the Embassy of Sri Lanka in Moscow, Sanjeewa Bandara, highlighted priority areas for enhanced collaboration, including trade facilitation, investment in value-added industries, technology exchange, and tourism development. He emphasized Sri Lanka’s potential as a source of skilled and semi-skilled labour for manufacturing, apparel, construction, and light engineering industries in Russia, and noted expectations for an enhanced employment quota in 2026. He further stated that Sri Lanka Expo 2026 was ready to welcome a buyer delegation from the Russia–Asia Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs, with a focus on diversifying Sri Lanka’s export basket to Russia.
The Ambassador invited the Union and its affiliated enterprises to explore joint initiatives based on complementary strengths, emphasizing that sustainable partnerships are built on aligned objectives and shared synergies.
On the margins of the event, the Ambassador gave an interview to the Russian News Agency RIA News, encouraging continued travel to Sri Lanka in the aftermath of Cyclone Ditwah. She noted that the country’s main tourism zones continued to operate safely and that sustained engagement by tourists and investors contributed directly to national resilience. She also stated that flights from Russia had not been cancelled and continued to operate at full capacity, expressing appreciation to Russian tourists for their continued interest in Sri Lanka.
The Russia–Asia Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs and the Embassy of Sri Lanka reaffirmed their commitment to advancing practical cooperation in the year ahead, guided by shared opportunities for growth and value creation.
Embassy of Sri Lanka
Moscow
28 December 2025
