Business
U.S. Commerce Dept. links with Sri Lanka America Chamber of Commerce to promote bilateral trade, investment
Move to attract Colombo Port City to American and foreign entrepreneurs
Two Washington-based senior officials of the South & Central Asia Division of the Commercial Law Development Programme (CLDP) of the U.S. Department of Commerce recently met with the Board of Directors of the Sri Lanka America Chamber of Commerce (SLACCOM) in its national headquarters in Las Vegas, Nevada to ascertain the feasibility of establishing a better flexibility for trade, commerce and investment between the two countries.
Led by SLACCOM president Sanje Sedera and his deputy Aruna Abayakoon with the participation of Charitha Yattogoda, Commercial Minister of the Sri Lankan Embassy in Washington and Anil Sirimanna, Minister Counselor of the Los Angeles-based SL Consulate General office, the four-hour discourse highlighted the vitality of twinning Colombo Port City with the global convention capital – the City of Las Vegas – promoting American and visiting foreign convention entrepreneurs to establish trade, commerce and investment with Sri Lanka using a twinning of the cities, attracting Colombo Port City to American and foreign entrepreneurs while engaged in improving the legal environment for such engagements, and probing avenues for small and medium Sri Lankan businesspersons to have an enhanced American market.
It was noted at this discourse between American and Chamber officials that the U.S. is Sri Lanka’s largest export market which accounts US$3 billion (in 2018) out of her total $11.7 billion exports and yet it was noted that there was a decrease of 6.4 percent from the 2017 export volume, and the importance of exploring avenues to enhance the volume of exports while engaged in improving legal environment to foster greater economic opportunity for both Sri Lankan entrepreneurs and US companies.
The Commercial Law Development Programme officials of the US Department of Commerce expressed their desire and interest in working with the SLACCOM to improve conducive legal environment for doing business between the United States and Sri Lanka, highlighting that such efforts undoubtedly foster greater political stability in Sri Lanka and economic opportunity for both nations.
The CLDP is tasked to improve the legal environment for business worldwide, as mentioned by Zmarak Khan, senior counsel for South and Central Asia of the Program in the US Commerce Department, and aimed at achieving US foreign policy goals in developing and post-conflict countries such as Sri Lanka through commercial legal reforms. Ms. Jocelyn A. Steiner, Attorney Advisor (international) said the Commercial Law Development Program unique government-to-government technical assistance draws upon highly experienced regulators, policymakers and business leaders to make meaningful and lasting changes to legal and judicial environment of the host country.
Three directors of the SLACCOM, deputy president Aruna Abayakoon, Douglas Perera and Lalindra Wickremaratne, apprised the two visiting Commerce Department officials their tour and discussions at the Colombo Port City last December, the engagement their Chamber envisages to promote trade, commerce and investment between the two countries, and their discussions with officials of Sri Lanka’s Board of Investment in Colombo including its head Raja Edirisuriya.
Khan pledged that he will have a dialogue with the Economic-Commercial Counselor of the American Embassy in Sri Lanka what steps and measures need to be taken to facilitate American entrepreneurs to engage in the Colombo Port City. Twinning both the City of Las Vegas and Colombo Port City, as explained by Chamber president Sanje Sedera, Khan said was a progressive thought as throughout the year Las Vegas has become a destination for trade shows and conventions bringing investors and entrepreneurs from worldwide.
The Chamber’s task is to establish rapport with these visiting economic giants, as engaged already, to ascertain what kind of investments possible in Sri Lanka while using the already established contacts in Sri Lanka to help and promote medium and small exporters to find markets in the United States, the Chamber directors informed the two Commerce Department officials. The CLDP comes in to make meaningful and lasting changes to legal and judicial environment in Sri Lanka with official dialogue with the government, it was noted at the discourse. The Chamber is exploring what incentives need to attract medium and large exporters to hold trade shows and conventions in Las Vegas which could expose them to international visiting entrepreneurs.
Corporate accolades underscore the alignment between its operational excellence and national development
In an era where national competitiveness is intrinsically tied to digital connectivity, strengthening the country’s digital backbone has become an urgent priority. Within this context, the evolving role of Sri Lanka’s leading telecommunications provider, SLT-MOBITEL, offers valuable insight into how technological infrastructure can underpin broader economic resilience.
Telecommunications and digital networks are foundational to economic transformation. By expanding high-speed broadband access, upgrading enterprise cloud capabilities, and bridging the urban-rural connectivity divide, SLT-MOBITEL helps reduce business transaction costs, streamline supply chains, and enable micro, small, and medium enterprises to reach global markets.
Recent corporate accolades further underscore this alignment between operational excellence and national development. SLT-MOBITEL’s triple triumph at the National Business Excellence Awards 2026 – winning in the Infrastructure and Utilities sector, Performance Management, and ICT Services categories – highlights its growing impact. Notably, the recognition of eChannelling’s contributions to digital healthcare reflects a broader strategic pivot toward integrated technology solutions.
“Institutional efficiency of this nature is critical for attracting foreign direct investment, as global partners increasingly assess a country’s digital maturity and systemic stability before committing capital,” noted industry observers.
Moreover, the company’s transition from a conventional telecom utility to a comprehensive digital solutions provider aligns seamlessly with Sri Lanka’s national digitalisation agenda. As the country pursues public sector modernisation, enhanced e-governance, and a competitive knowledge economy, the private sector must step up to deliver secure, scalable, and future-ready networks. Investments in data centres, cybersecurity frameworks, and advanced ICT infrastructure act as strategic buffers, ensuring that Sri Lanka’s economic apparatus remains agile and resilient amid future global uncertainties.
However, industry experts caution that while these achievements are commendable, SLT-MOBITEL still has a considerable distance to cover in fully enabling a truly digital economy.
Port City Colombo (PCC) took a prominent role as Platinum Sponsor at the second edition of Sri Lanka Beyond Your Dreams, a high-level diplomatic and investment engagement hosted by the Consulate General of Sri Lanka in Dubai and the Northern Emirates. The event, held on 2nd September 2026 at the Hilton Dubai Al Habtoor City, brought together over 400 senior UAE-based business leaders, investors, diplomats, and institutional stakeholders, alongside Sri Lanka’s most senior government representatives.
The gathering was graced by Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, UAE Minister of Foreign Trade, as Guest of Honour, and Vijitha Herath, Sri Lanka’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism. A high-level Sri Lankan delegation – including the Secretary to the Prime Minister, the Chairman of the Board of Investment, the Chairman of the Export Development Board, and the Director General of Commerce – underscored the government’s strong commitment to deepening economic diplomacy with the UAE.
In his keynote address, Minister Herath reaffirmed the centuries-old ties between Sri Lanka and the Arab region, emphasising the UAE’s vital role as a key economic partner. He stressed the urgency of finalising a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) with the UAE, which would establish a robust framework to elevate trade, investment, and bilateral cooperation. Declaring Sri Lanka “open and ready for business,” he positioned Port City Colombo as the physical embodiment of this economic mission – a modern Special Economic Zone (SEZ) with a dedicated legal framework and competitive incentives, offering UAE investors a natural gateway to South Asia while maintaining strong Gulf connectivity.
American Premium Water has secured four wins at Dragons of Sri Lanka Awards 2026, including three Gold Dragons and one Black Dragon, marking a significant milestone for the brand following its relaunch last year.
Part of the prestigious Dragons of Asia awards, Dragons of Sri Lanka brings the program’s regional platform to the local market, celebrating creative and effective marketing communications, with entries evaluated on strategic thinking, creativity, execution and impact. Established in 2000, Dragons of Asia is one of Asia’s premier results-driven marketing awards programs.
For American Premium Water, the achievements are particularly significant given that the company’s debut at the Dragons awards has resulted in four Dragons across four categories. In the distinction of Gold Dragons, American Premium Water was recognized across three categories including Product Launch or Re Launch, Cause, Environment or Sustainability and Creative Excellence while the Black Dragon was awarded in recognition of Small Budget.
Competing alongside leading brands and agencies in Sri Lanka, American Premium Water’s four wins demonstrate the strength and effectiveness of its recent work. Winning three Gold Dragons across three distinct categories highlights the breadth of the brand’s achievements, while the Black Dragon for Small Budget further emphasizes its ability to create meaningful impact through focused and efficient investment.
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