SL ready for travel and investment

Sri Lanka’s Ambassador to Belgium, Luxemburg and the EU Ravinatha Aryasinha has called on Governments of EU Member States, to facilitate change of perception on Sri Lanka through an early revision of travel advisories, to reflect the significantly changed security situation in Sri Lanka. He also called on them to encourage trade and investment with Sri Lanka by their business sectors, as this would be a meaningful way of ensuring economic empowerment and the restoration of normalcy in the lives of particularly the people of the Northern and Eastern Provinces. 
Ambassador Aryasinha made these observations when he inaugurated a 3 day programme (2-4 June 2009) to attract investments from Belgium and Luxemburg to Sri Lanka, promoting the new era of peace and stability in the country. Organized by the Sri Lanka Embassy in collaboration with the Board of Investment (BOI) of Sri Lanka, the Brussels Enterprises Commerce and Industry (BECI) and the Belgolux-Sri Lanka Business Council, the programme comprised an Investment forum, one to one meetings with potential investors, and meetings with the Deputy Mayor of Antwerp and leaders of the Antwerp Ports Authority and Diamond industry.
 Ambassador Aryasinha said it was of particular significance that the first overseas Investment Forum by the BOI in Europe was being conducted in Brussels, regarded as the capital of Europe, only two weeks after the Sri Lanka security forces had comprehensively defeated the LTTE. Noting that with the ending of this 30 year armed conflict, the main impediment to Sri Lanka reaching its full potential has been removed, he said Sri Lankans were keen to shift gears and move on focusing on development and bringing peace and economic prosperity to the entire country. He said the resilience the Sri Lankan economy showed in the past navigating through stormy seas, would hold it in good stead as it entered calmer waters.