COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (September 16, 2025) – The U.S. Embassy in Sri Lanka, through the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Commercial Law Development Program (CLDP), hosted a specialized workshop in Colombo from September 8–10 that brought together legal experts from the Sri Lanka Ports Authority and the Attorney General’s Department. The program aimed to strengthen Sri Lanka’s capacity in ports law and public–private partnerships (PPPs), and also included technical training on concession law — the legal framework that guides how agreements between governments and private companies are structured — with an emphasis on transparency, accountability, and protecting the public interest. This initiative reflects the U.S. commitment to supporting stronger institutions in Sri Lanka, helping ensure that future infrastructure projects deliver long-term benefits for the Sri Lankan people while promoting fair and open commercial practices.
U.S. Ambassador to Sri Lanka Julie Chung praised the mutual benefits of the workshop, noting “As Indo-Pacific partners, the United States and Sri Lanka are working side by side to safeguard security and keep commerce open. Public–private partnerships are a key part of that effort, helping to advance major infrastructure projects that support economic growth and national development. This workshop equips Sri Lanka’s experts with international best practices and lessons learned, ensuring future concession agreements bring value to Sri Lanka while protecting its sovereignty. Strong legal frameworks also give American and international investors confidence, creating opportunities for the United States and other partners to contribute to Sri Lanka’s progress. What we build together today is a foundation for tomorrow’s shared security.”
CLDP’s three-part training program begins with an overview of the importance of effective legal frameworks, focusing on the relationship between ports law and public–private partnerships (PPPs) and drawing on global best practices. The second session examines concession agreements in depth, analyzing successful international models and weighing the advantages and disadvantages of different approaches. The program concludes with a detailed, clause-by-clause review of Sri Lanka’s current concession agreement format, comparing it with international standards and highlighting key areas for consideration.
This training underscores how critical ports and infrastructure are to both Sri Lanka and the United States — driving Sri Lanka’s economic recovery, trade, and national development, while advancing America’s commitment to transparent and sustainable partnerships, fair commercial opportunities, secure supply chains, and a free and open Indo-Pacific. At the heart of this cooperation is the Port of Colombo, a vital hub for the flow of goods through South Asia, including cargo moving to and from the United States. As Indo-Pacific partners, Sri Lanka and the United States are working together to strengthen institutions that safeguard security, expand commerce, and build long-term stability and prosperity.
Photo captions:
Image 1: Legal experts and trainers from the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Commercial Law Development Program (CLDP) alongside participants of the workshop.
Image 2: Legal experts and trainers from the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Commercial Law Development Program (CLDP) lead discussions on international best practices for infrastructure partnerships.
