The Minister of Finance in a statement to Bahrain News Agency (BNA) on the side-lines of the Bahrain-Sri Lanka Business Forum at the Bahrain Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI) today praised existing friendly political and positive multi-dimensional cooperation relations between Manama and Colombo especially in the economic, trade and investment fields.
The Minister of Finance said the Sri Lankan President's official state visit to Bahrain will see the signing of important agreements that pave a stronger launchpad for cooperation in various economic and investment fields which serve both friendly countries.
The Minister said that the joint forum is a golden opportunity for financial institutions operating in Bahrain which have branches in Asia to consider the potential of expansion into the Sri Lankan financial and banking market.
Shaikh Ahmed also praised the diplomatic relations between Bahrain and Sri Lanka, citing the importance of intensification of mutual cooperation and the exchanging of visits of business delegations and opening new horizons of bilateral cooperation as well as pushing forward the growth of economic cooperation between the two sides.
Sri Lankan Minister of Industry and Commerce Rishad Bathiudeen praised abundance of promising investment opportunities in Bahrain and Sri Lanka, focusing on tourism and hospitality, building and construction sectors as major economic cooperation fields to be intensified and boosted in both friendly countries. He told Bahrain News Agency (BNA) that the Kingdom of Bahrain features as a link between regional and international markets by virtue of its strategic location and close proximity to neighborly commercial markets and a good opportunity for Sri Lanka to develop bilateral investments.
The Sri Lankan Minister emphasized the serious desire of Sri Lankan private sector to develop economic and investment relations with Bahrain and to multiply the volume of bilateral trade in all economic fields and sectors, pointing out the importance of exploiting all available investment opportunities in both sides in order to increase the volume of Bahraini-Sri Lankan bilateral trade which hit the 30 million dollar's mark in 2011.
The Sri Lankan Minister stressed that Sri Lanka is still a preferable and attractive tourism destination for a large number of Bahrain and GCC citizens all year round, citing the significance of the visit of the Sri Lankan President to Bahrain which offers a unique opportunity to boost tourism cooperation between Manama and Colombo.
Minister of External Affairs Prof. G.L. Peiris, Bahrain's Minister of Industry and Commerce Dr. Hassan A. Fakhro, Minister of Industry and Commerce Mr. Rishard Bathiudeen and the Second Vice Chairman of Bahrain Chamber of Commerce and Industry Mr. Jawad Alhawaj delivered speeches.
Courtesy: BNA/IY/HC_Pix By : Sudath Silva
