The Government is working to expand cooperation with Germany and other international partners in advanced manufacturing, investment and trade with the aim of elevating Sri Lanka’s industrial sector to the international stage, Deputy Minister of Industry and Entrepreneurship Development Chathuranga Abeysinghe said.
He made these remarks while attending the “Top German Brands 2026 – The Ball Edition” event, organised in Colombo by the German Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Sri Lanka (AHK Sri Lanka) and the German Embassy, as the Chief Guest.
The Deputy Minister emphasised that Sri Lanka has achieved economic stability following the economic challenges faced over the past few years, and that the Government’s objective is to implement reforms that will accelerate economic growth in the years ahead.
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He also highlighted the importance of strengthening links with international markets to expand Sri Lanka’s export economy, while progressively removing existing trade barriers by 2029 and creating opportunities for new trade agreements.
He noted that cooperation with Germany would be particularly important in transforming Sri Lanka’s manufacturing sector from industries primarily based on low labour costs towards advanced technology and high value-added production.
The Government is focusing on infrastructure development, expanding port and airport capacity, and strengthening vocational skills. The Deputy Minister said that the Ministry is implementing a programme to prepare between 300 and 400 Sri Lankan SMEs to access global markets.
He stated that the Government expects the support of the German business community and other international partners to provide these enterprises with access to technology, financial management expertise and international markets.
He also emphasised the need to further strengthen public-private partnerships to develop vocational skills among young people and address the human resource requirements of the industrial sector. The event was attended by Dr. Felix Neumann, German Ambassador to Sri Lanka and the Maldives; Martin Klose, Head of AHK Sri Lanka; Dr. Parakrama Dissanayake, Chairman of the Sri Lanka Ports Authority; along with diplomats, German and Sri Lankan business leaders, and policymakers.
Source: Daily News