Sri Lanka, Italy seek stronger trade and investment ties

Sri Lanka and Italy have explored new avenues to strengthen bilateral trade and investment, with particular emphasis on attracting Italian investment into emerging sectors of the Sri Lankan economy.

Italian Ambassador to Sri Lanka Damiano Francovigh and Deputy Head of Mission Alberto Arcidiacono met Trade, Commerce, Food Security and Cooperative Development Minister Wasantha Samarasinghe on September 1 to discuss expanding economic cooperation between the two countries. During the meeting, Ambassador Francovigh expressed Italy’s willingness to explore new opportunities to enhance trade and investment relations with Sri Lanka.

Minister Samarasinghe welcomed the interest, noting the long-standing and cordial relations between the two countries. He highlighted Sri Lanka’s strategic location as a regional economic hub and invited Italian investors and businesses to explore opportunities in maritime services, information technology and business process outsourcing (IT-BPO), as well as value-added agricultural products.

The Minister also called on the Italian side to consider sending a trade and investment delegation to Sri Lanka to participate in the Sri Lanka Expo 2027, scheduled to be held in January next year.

He said participation in the exhibition would provide Italian businesses with an opportunity to identify potential investment and trade partnerships while gaining a better understanding of opportunities available in the Sri Lankan market. The discussions reflected the mutual interest of Sri Lanka and Italy in broadening their economic engagement and creating new avenues for trade, investment and business partnerships. The meeting was also attended by Acting Director General of the Department of Commerce Somasena Mahadivulwewa and Director of Commerce Charitha Yattogoda.

Source : Daily News