WEF Forum to support Lanka:

Corporates to link to global initiatives

Sri Lankan corporates will soon get more opportunities to link to global and regional initiatives, as part of a new engagement between the World Economic Forum (WEF) and Sri Lanka.

Following the visit of a high-level Sri Lankan delegation to WEF last month, opportunities are now being identified for WEF to support the country through its global initiatives ranging from global production systems, agricultural transformation, and trade facilitation.

The WEF Business Engagement Team will welcome more Sri Lankan companies to the WEF network, enabling them to be a part of regional summits and networks with top global corporates and leading brands. The visit, which came two months after Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe participated in the WEF Annual Meeting in Davos in January, consisted of senior government officials and a representative of the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce.

Chief Economist of the CCC, Anushka Wijesinha joined the delegation as the key private sector representative, to explore how the new engagement between WEF and Sri Lanka can open new avenues for Sri Lankan business.

Wijesinha said, "Membership of the World Economic Forum, participation in their global and regional summits, and being linked to their platforms on strategic themes offer a unique opportunity for Sri Lankan businesses that are aspiring to go to the next level."

"The networking opportunities are unparalleled. For any Sri Lankan business hoping to go global and be a part of global initiatives, linking with organisations such as the WEF is crucial.

We will do our best to create more avenues for this type of engagement for Sri Lanka's private sector," he said. The WEF is the leading international organisation for public-private cooperation, and it engages the foremost political, business and other leaders of society to shape global, regional and industry agendas.