COLOMBO, March 14 (Xinhua) -- A delegation from the European Investment Bank (EIB) will visit Colombo at the end of this month to explore further avenues of economic cooperation between the EU and Sri Lanka, a Foreign Ministry statement said here Tuesday.
According to the statement, Sri Lanka Development Strategies and International Trade Minister Malik Samarawickrama met with European Commissioner for Trade Cecilia Malmström on Sunday at the European Commission in Brussels.
Sri Lanka has sought to increase bilateral trade and investments from the European Union with the enhanced opportunities expected following the Commission recommendation to restore the GSP plus trade facility to Sri Lanka.
In their meeting, Malik Samarawickrema discussed the prospects for increasing investment and invited European companies to do business with Sri Lanka.
He stated that there are many opportunities to invest in infrastructure development and also in the agriculture and dairy sector with the possibility of joint ventures in Sri Lanka.
The minister referred to the resumption of the EU-Sri Lanka Investment Dialogue in January this year after a lapse of many years.
Commissioner Malmström expressed confidence that European investors would increasingly look at the favorable opportunities available in Sri Lanka in the context of the positive steps taken by the government to create an investor friendly climate.
Samarawickrama briefed Commissioner Malmström on the steps Sri Lanka is taking to bring about reconciliation, strengthen good governance and respect for human rights and the regular dialogue with the EU on matters of mutual interest.
