Afghanistan proposes FTA with Sri Lanka

War-ravaged Afghanistan has proposed signing a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with Sri Lanka

The Afghan Ambassador to Sri Lanka M. Ashraf Haidari yesterday took note of a pending Air Services Agreement and Trade and Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement to be signed between Afghanistan and Sri Lanka, which he said would further enhance and facilitate bilateral trade.

Haidari noted that once signed, Afghanistan and Sri Lanka could initiate to sign a Free Trade Agreement to remove all barriers for easy and profitable trade and investment between the two friendly countries, with growing ties in all areas of bilateral cooperation.

The Ambassador expressed these views after the CEOS of the Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Investment, Sayed Zaman Hashemi, and the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce, Manjula de Silva, virtually signed a historic MOU of Cooperation between the two Chambers on yesterday. The MOU provides for the establishment of an Afghanistan-sri Lanka Trade Desk within both Chambers, helping implement both sides’ shared commercial goals.

Ambassador Haidari witnessed the signing ceremony at the Offices of the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce, and delivered remarks after the two CEOS exchanged views on the numerous business and investment opportunities in Afghanistan and Sri Lanka, taking into account the existing low volume of bilateral trade. Hence, they pledged to work with the Embassies of Afghanistan and Sri Lanka in Colombo and Kabul to implement the MOU for realising the vast trade and investment potential that exists between the two South Asian nations.(er)