By IANS,
Washington : Having crushed the Tamil Tigers, Sri Lanka holds tremendous trade and investment potential, a Sri Lankan minister has said.
Senior Minister Sarath Amunugama highlighted the growing trade and investment appeal of Sri Lanka to a group of leading US entrepreneurs whom he addressed over a luncheon meeting here Monday.
“The war is a thing in the past, and Sri Lanka now ranks as one of the most stable and safest places to do business,” he added.
“With over 8 percent growth in 2010 and other numerous macro economic achievements, Sri Lanka is on course to join the second tier countries, a grouping which includes economies such as South Africa and Vietnam.”
Referring to the India-Sri Lanka Free Trade Agreement, the minister said Colombo was an excellent launching pad to enter major regional markets, in particular India.
He invited American businesses to make use of the opportunity.
The gathering was attended by senior executives of several major US companies including Boeing, Textron Inc., Burson-Marsteller, BGR Group and Transinnova International.
Sri Lanka crushed the Tamil Tigers in May 2009, ending one of the longest running insurgencies in the world.