CCC invites Slovakia to target Indo-China markets

The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce invited Slovakia, a Eurozone country to make use of Sri Lanka's maritime advantage and its trade relationship with India and China to access the markets of the two countries.

"Our connectivity to China and India is very good and so is our trade relationship.

"We already have an FTA with India and and an agreement with China is in the offing, which will give Slovakian investors an opportunity enter the two markets," Secretary General and CEO of the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce, Mangala P. B. Yapa told the State Secretary, Foreign and European Affairs of the Slovak Republic, Peter Burian when he visited the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce last week.

Burian said, "Slovakia is one of the fastest growing economies in the Euro zone. We are the number one producer of cars. We also hope to develop and diversify our economy into areas such as IT and ICT."

He said that his country is interested in working with SMEs, sharing its knowledge and expertise in industrial production.

According to Burian, Slovakia is keen on expanding exports and finding new markets to help push production to the global market.

Yapa said that Slovakia can use Sri Lanka's Free Port to set up full-fledged production facilities or value adding facilities to help export to regional markets.

Ambassador of the Slovakian Republic to Sri Lanka and India Zigmund Bertok, Honorary Consul of the Slovak Republic in Colombo, Mahen Kariyawasan and Assistant Secretary General of the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce, Mrs. Kamani Bartholomeusz were also present.

Slovakia is a Central European country and is a member of the European Union.