RUZAIK FAROOK
COLOMBO — The Embassy of Egypt in Sri Lanka, in collaboration with the General Authority for Investment and Free Zones (GAFI), successfully hosted a Roundtable Discussion on Bilateral Investment Dialogue: Egypt–Sri Lanka in Colombo on Monday December 01. The event brought together key government representatives, private-sector leaders, and current Sri Lankan investors in Egypt to strengthen investment cooperation between the two nations.
The session opened with welcoming remarks by H.E. Adel Ibrahim, Ambassador of the Arab Republic of Egypt to Sri Lanka, who emphasized the importance of deepening economic engagement and expanding opportunities for mutually beneficial partnerships. The Ambassador also reaffirmed Egypt’s commitment to facilitating smoother and more transparent investment processes for Sri Lankan enterprises.
This was followed by introductory statements from Dr. Hossam Heiba, President of GAFI, who highlighted Egypt’s evolving investment landscape, recent reforms, and the strategic sectors available for foreign investors. He underscored Egypt’s readiness to support Sri Lankan investors through GAFI’s services, free-zone initiatives, and investment facilitation mechanisms.
Representing Sri Lanka, Arith Wickremesingha, Advisor to the Western Province Governor on Foreign Investment, addressed the gathering, noting Sri Lanka’s interest in enhancing cooperation with Egypt in areas such as trade, manufacturing, agriculture, tourism, and logistics. He reiterated the province’s willingness to work closely with Egyptian partners to unlock new investment channels.
Aruna Warnakulasooriya, President of the National Chamber of Commerce of Sri Lanka, also delivered remarks, acknowledging the historical ties between the two countries and highlighting the Chamber’s intention to create more structured engagement between business communities, including support for joint ventures and sector-focused trade missions.
The event was attended by a diverse group of distinguished guests, including Sri Lankan businessmen, current Sri Lankan investors operating in Egypt, a representative from the Sri Lanka Tea Board, the Deputy Director of the Sri Lanka Export Development Board (EDB), and the Chairman of the Chamber of Young Lankan Entrepreneurs (COYLE). Their participation reflected the strong interest in exploring Egypt’s strategic sectors such as textiles, agribusiness, ICT, renewable energy, logistics, and manufacturing.
The Roundtable provided a platform for open dialogue on investment challenges, opportunities, and mechanisms to enhance bilateral economic cooperation. Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to advancing commercial linkages, facilitating market access, and promoting long-term, sustainable partnerships.
The Embassy of Egypt and GAFI expressed their readiness to continue supporting Sri Lankan enterprises seeking to enter or expand within the Egyptian market and welcomed further collaboration through upcoming trade missions, sectoral engagements, and bilateral business initiatives.
