Sri Lanka High Commission in Pretoria, with the assistance of the Department of Commerce of Sri Lanka, participated at the Global Trade Show of Networking & Matchmaking South Africa 2019 (GTS 2019) held from 29 to 31 July 2019 at Gallagher Convention Centre, Midrand, South Africa. GTS is an international business and trade show, incorporating four co-located shows: Tools & Build South Africa (TBS); Household & Appliances South Africa (HAS) Smart Electronics & Security Show (SES); Food & Beverage South Africa (FBS).
The samples, brochures, and banners received from Sri Lankan exporters interested in South African market were displayed at the pavilion visualizing product information ranging from Ceylon tea, biscuits, cosmetic & ayurvedic products, coconut & coir based products, rubber products, textiles, food products, rainwear and umbrellas etc. In addition, Ceylon tea and premium quality biscuits manufactured in Sri Lanka were served to VIPs and the visitors under the sponsorship of Sri Lanka Tea Board, Ceylon Biscuits Limited and Cargills Ceylon PLC. The staff of High Commission had fruitful B2B meetings with potential buyers and distributors at the stall.
Speaking at the grand opening Ceremony of the 3rd edition of GTS 2019, Counsellor, Priyangani Hewarathna on behalf of the High Commission extended her best wishes and felicitations to the organizers and acknowledged the support received for Sri Lanka’s Participation at the exhibition. Sri Lanka pavilion was declared open by Ambassador Kumar Mallimaratchi & Mrs. Udeni Mallimaratchi along with the Senior Counsellor of the Embassy of Republic of Belarus, Maksim Nesterenko; Anisha Pemjee of the ‘Diplomatic Society’, and President of Johannesburg Chamber of Commerce & Industries, Herman Breedt by lighting the traditional oil lamp.
Conducting a comprehensive presentation on ‘Trade and Investment Opportunities in Sri Lanka’ at the workshop session of GTS, Third Secretary - Commercial, Sanjeewa Ranasinghe Bandara, invited participants to do business in Sri Lanka by taking advantage of improved investment climate and trading environment for foreign investors. Also he invited the participants to visit Sri Lanka and conveyed the message to South Africa that Sri Lanka is a safe destination to travel. The three-day event was successfully concluded on 31t July 2019.
