Britain is ready to invest FDIs in Sri Lanka and assistance to the country will be further broadened with necessary programmes duly implemented in the near future, British State Secretary for International Trade Liam Fox said.
President Maithripala Sirisena who is currently on a visit to London to attend the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) 2018 met Fox on Wednesday evening.
The President discussed at length, ways in which bilateral trade between the two countries could be further strengthened and opportunities for new investments could be found.
Fox explained to the President that they would also take the step of including the opportunities for investment in Sri Lanka on the official website of the British Ministry of International Trade. President Sirisena informed Fox that there has been a great increase in FDIs into the country and that sectors such as tourism have shown special progress.
The Sri Lankan government’s foreign policy of being friends to all nations has allowed them to win many a victory on behalf of the motherland, President Sirisena said.
The President further noted that the government has paid special attention to investments in the electricity generation sector with special prominence also being given to the agriculture and livestock sectors.
He thanked the British government for their support in the development of Sri Lanka.
President Sirisena also took the opportunity to meet British Parliamentarian Lord Naseby who has on several occasions spoken on behalf of Sri Lanka in the UK Parliament.
Lord Naseby commended the government’s development programme and assured the President that he would lend his wholehearted support to the country. He also took the opportunity to appreciate the reconciliation programme in the country and stated that Sri Lanka was on a much better path compared to other post war countries.
Lord Naseby further noted that it was unfortunate that the real information on the ground realities of the country was not being received by European countries and Geneva. He said he will do his utmost to deliver the truth to them.
The President thanked Lord Naseby for his personal efforts in communicating the realities of the country to the world.