Lanka urges more investments from Gulf

Sri Lanka’s Minister of Industry and Commerce Rishad Bathiudeen is urging businessmen in the Gulf countries to increase investments in his country, particularly in tourism.”The Gulf countries and Sri Lanka have cordial relations,” he said in a statement to Kuwait News Agency (KUNA) in Brussels.

Bathiudeen is leading a business delegation, currently on an European tour including Belgium, France and the Netherlands to expand commercial and economic cooperation with Europe.He said President Mahinda Rajapaksa was the president of a Palestinian-Sri Lankan friendship organisation and was a supporter of the Palestine cause.”After he became the President of Sri Lanka he began to develop closer ties with the Gulf countries.

The Muslim world is helping Sri Lanka after Rajapaksa became the President,” said the Minister.

There are some activities being carried out by Gulf countries in Sri Lanka in building infrastructure. Development funds of Kuwait and Saudi Arabia are involved in health sector projects in the country.

But he said that exports from Sri Lanka to the Gulf countries were very low and expressed hope that they would be increased.

He called on the investors in the Gulf to invest in the tourism sector in Sri Lanka.”We are expecting more tourists from the Gulf countries,” he told KUNA noting that hotels, serving “halal food,” are available in Sri Lanka.