ICC Sri Lanka meets ICC Switzerland to improve business and co-operation
During the visit of Keerthi Gunawardane, Sri Lanka Chairman of the International Chamber of Commerce to Switzerland had a fruitful meeting Thomas Pletscher the Secretary General of International Chamber of Commerce Switzerland at Zurich. This was the first ever such meeting took place with the ICC Sri Lanka and ICC Switzerland to discuss business opportunities available for the members in their respective countries.
The meeting was graced with the presence of Sri Lankan Trade Ambassador /PR of Sri Lanka to the WTO R.D.S. Kumararatne who was the former Director General of the Department of Commerce Sri Lanka accompanied by the Honorary Consul General for Sri Lanka in Switzerland Vidarshana Munasinghe.
The ICC Chair of Sri Lanka, while introducing the Sri Lankan representatives to the ICC Secretary General of Switzerland and the Deputy Secretary General Emmanuelle Benitez de Roux, he explained the role of ICC of Sri Lanka in promoting capabilities and competencies of Sri Lankan industries to global business environment, in particular Sri Lankan capabilities in the area of IT and manufacturing.
Ambassador Kumararatne highlighted the opportunities available in Sri Lanka for businesses as a manufacturing and services hub which is complemented by highly qualified and literate labour force and enabling business environment. Access to neighbouring markets such as India and Pakistan through the existing FTAs would provide further opportunities for Swiss entrepreneurs. The current economic and political environment in the country would further facilitate to strengthen such business engagements. Sri Lanka as pioneering party to GATT and its successor WTO is committed to rule based trading environment.
The Honorary Consul General Vidarshana Munasinghe highlighted on the upcoming project on the SRI LANKA Cultural-Trade & Food Festival which is to take place from September 9th to 11th 2016. Participation of Cantonal Presidents from all 14 Cantons, high rank officers from Canton Zurich, Ambassadors and Consul Generals from seventy seven countries are expected at this event.