The Sri Lanka Export Development Board (EDB), in collaboration with the Ministry of Industries and Department of Commerce, organized a seminar on “Exploring Opportunities and Implications of the Sri Lanka-Thailand Free Trade Agreement” at the Auditorium of the Postgraduate Institute of Management (PIM) on February 29, 2024, for Sri Lankan exporters.
The seminar aimed to raise awareness among the Sri Lankan business community and provide a platform for exploring new business opportunities available in the “Trade in Goods Chapter” under the Sri Lanka-Thailand Free Trade Agreement (SLTFTA). Eminent panelists, including Mr. K.J Weerasinghe, Chief Negotiator, Office for International Trade, Presidential Secretariat; Mr. K.A Vimalenthirajah, Director-General, Department of Trade and Investment Policies, Ministry of Finance; and Mr. Sanjeewa Pattiwila, Director of Commerce, Department of Commerce, shared valuable insights on SLTFTA.
With over 150 representatives from the exporter community, public sector, and academia in attendance, the session featured presentations and spirited discussions during the Q&A session. Participants gained a deeper understanding of the strategic framework requirements shaping the bilateral trade relationship between Sri Lanka and Thailand, focusing on the exploration of potential, visualization of a landscape suitable for opportunities, growth, innovation, and prosperity.
The event was inaugurated jointly by Mr. M. M. Nayeemudeen, Secretary, Ministry of Investment Promotion; Mrs. J. M. Thilaka Jayasundara, Secretary, Ministry of Industries; and Mr. A.M.P.M.B. Atapattu, Secretary, Ministry of Trade, Commerce, and Food Security. During the welcome remarks, Dr. Kingsley Bernard, Chairman/CEO of the Sri Lanka Export Development Board, expressed enthusiasm for continuing this dialogue and planning more trade promotional events for the Thailand market in the future. He emphasized the importance of collaboration with other government institutions to maximize benefits for the Sri Lankan economy.
