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| Sunday, 30 May 2004 |
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Sri Lanka to host Asia Invest forum by Elmo Leonard Colombo will be the venue of the 3rd Asia-Invest Forum 2004 beginning tomorrow (Monday) where 85 delegates from the EU member states and a host of Asian countries, will participate. The European Union has identified Sri Lanka as host for the occasion, this year (earlier it was hosted by Malaysia and Vietnam) because the nation was the first (1977) to adopt an open economy, and counts two years of peace, following two decades of war, Charge d' Affairs of the European Commission, here, Wouter Wilton told the media. The forum, termed the most significant event in the Asian investment calendar is organised by The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce (CCC) and will be held at the Colombo Plaza. Sri Lankan companies who wish to participate in the forum has reached 90, while those coming from abroad have exceeded the number, CCC's secretary general, Prema Cooray said. On May 31 and June 1, representatives of private sector business intermediary organisations from Asia and Europe will meet to discuss the future orientations of the European-Asian Economic Co-operation. The primary objective of the forum is to provide a platform for EU and private sector representative organisations to network towards strengthening their existing partnerships and to pave the way for new avenues of commerce, Economic Advisor to the EU delegation in Sri Lanka, Roshan Lynman said. Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa will deliver the keynote address on `A new beginning for Sri Lanka seeking global competitiveness.' Among the participants and speakers will be, Deputy High commissioner for India, Shri Mohan Kumar, consultant to Asia-Invest, Peter O' Brian, head, European Commission in India, Stefano Gatto, project manager, Asia-Invest Ms Pascaline Krone, director, International Affairs, Euro Chambers, Belgium, Dirk Vantyghem, Managing Director, CBI Netherlands, Ton Lansink and a German national Peter Rechmann. Key participants will comprise representatives from European and Asian trade chambers, bilateral chambers and business groups in Sri Lanka and the SAARC Region as well as representatives of key European and Asian Business intimidatory organisations in industry, trade, investment and finance. Participation further extends to representatives from European industries, investment and financial sector organisations. Consequent to earlier CCC-European trade chambers' cooperation, French trade chambers have asked for an exclusive Free Trade Zone for French companies to be set here, CCC's vice chairman, Deva Rodrigo said. Answering questions, Lynman said that the North and East were not ready for the setting up of European companies. The companies closed down, they said, should first be revived. The EU-Sri Lanka Partenariat 2004, will take place on June 3 - 4, at the BMICH, Colombo, with over 100 companies from 15 EU member nations, with 19 local companies seeking participation. |
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