ASEAN Embassies promote trade, investment, and tourism in Sri Lanka's Central Province: Ambassador Trinh Thi Tam
WVR - On October 30, a delegation from the ASEAN Embassies in Sri Lanka, including Vietnam, Malaysia, Thailand, Myanmar, and Indonesia, paid a working visit to promote trade, investment, and tourism in Sri Lanka's Central Province.
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| ASEAN embassies promote trade, investment, and tourism in Sri Lanka's Central Province. (Source: Vietnamese Embassy in Sri Lanka) |
The mission was organized by the Vietnamese Embassy in collaboration with the ASEAN Embassies and the Central Province of Sri Lanka, against the backdrop of Vietnam assuming the role of Chair of the ASEAN Embassies Group in Colombo.
During the visit, the delegation met and worked with Central Province Governor Harsha Suranga Fernando, along with local government representatives, relevant agencies, and the business community in Kandy city and the Provincial Council building.
Following the meeting, the delegation visited an exhibition of handicrafts and local products at the Provincial Council building, exploring the potential for production, development of traditional industries, and promotion of the region's distinctive products.
The highlight of the mission was a discussion session titled “An Evening with Diplomats”, organized by the Central Province Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCICP) on the evening of October 30. The event was attended by Governor Harsha Suranga Fernando, Deputy Minister Chathuranga Abeysinghe, ASEAN ambassadors, and numerous representatives from the local business community.
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| Vietnamese Ambassador to Sri Lanka Trinh Thi Tam speaks. (Source: Vietnamese Embassy in Sri Lanka) |
Speaking on behalf of the ASEAN Embassies at the meeting, Ambassador Trinh Thi Tam emphasised the long-standing friendship and cooperation between ASEAN and Sri Lanka, affirming the vast potential for expanding economic, trade, and investment cooperation between the two sides.
She noted that with strategic geographical location, market size, and growing production capacity, ASEAN countries have extensive experience and strengths to share with Sri Lanka, particularly in the fields of processing industries, electronics, agriculture, food industries, tourism, and export-oriented manufacturing sectors.
The Ambassador also highlighted the importance of enhancing business connectivity, exchanging market information, and facilitating ASEAN and Sri Lankan businesses in seeking partners, expanding business operations, and effectively exploiting cooperation opportunities.
Deputy Minister of Industrial Development and Automotive Enterprises of Sri Lanka, Chathuranga Abeysinghe, praised the initiative to organize the mission and expressed a desire to enhance exchanges and learn from ASEAN countries' development experiences, especially in industrial policy-making, enhancing competitiveness, developing small and medium enterprises (SMEs), expanding export markets, and attracting foreign investment.
Under the coordination of Azam Ameer, Senior Vice President of CCICP, the discussion session provided an open and direct forum for policymakers, diplomats, and businesses to exchange views on practical issues related to the investment environment, business opportunities, and market connectivity between Sri Lanka and ASEAN. Many questions were raised about foreign investment attraction strategies, tourism development, high-tech agriculture, agricultural processing, food industries, and enhancing the value of export products.
Sharing experiences from each country's development practices, ASEAN Ambassadors introduced models, policies, and cooperative strengths in tourism, modern agriculture, digital technology, and processing industries, helping local businesses better understand the potential, needs, and opportunities to access the ASEAN market.
Responding to questions about the prospects for Sri Lanka's economic recovery and development, Vietnamese Ambassador Trinh Thi Tam and ASEAN diplomats commended Sri Lanka's reform efforts, economic stabilization, and improvement of the business environment. ASEAN representatives emphasized the importance of maintaining a stable and transparent policy environment, enhancing competitiveness, and strengthening international integration to bolster investor confidence.
Through direct dialogue, the discussion session not only provided information on markets and policies but also contributed to building trust, fostering mutual understanding, and opening specific cooperation directions between businesses in Sri Lanka's Central Province and ASEAN partners.
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| Delegates take a group photo. (Source: Vietnamese Embassy in Sri Lanka) |
The mission to the Central Province – one of Sri Lanka's key cultural, tourism, and economic centers – provided ASEAN ambassadors with practical insights into the strengths, needs, and development orientations of the Central Province. It was a practical activity within the framework of economic and local diplomacy, reflecting the proactive, united, and cooperative spirit of ASEAN countries in Sri Lanka, contributing to concretizing ASEAN-Sri Lanka cooperation through enhanced connectivity between government agencies, trade promotion organizations, and the business community.
With Vietnam's coordination role, the mission affirmed Vietnam's commitment to promoting ASEAN cooperation, strengthening Vietnam-Sri Lanka friendship, and actively contributing to expanding trade, investment, and tourism cooperation opportunities between Vietnam, ASEAN countries, and Sri Lanka in the future.
(Source: Vietnamese Embassy in Sri Lanka)
