Sri Lanka committed to safeguarding foreign investments – President

Sri Lanka President Anura Kumara Dissanayake emphasized that the security of investors and investments entering the country has been ensured under the current government.

He made this remark during a discussion held yesterday morning (October 11) at the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo with a delegation of U.S. business representatives visiting Sri Lanka to study its investment opportunities, business environment, and legal framework.

The President noted that a secure environment for investments has now been established in Sri Lanka, highlighting that irregularities that existed under previous administrations have been rectified. He added that the current government is formulating new laws within a democratic framework to ensure transparency and stability in the investment process.

President Dissanayake further affirmed that attracting foreign investment remains a top priority of the government. In this regard, measures are being taken to guarantee investor protection, expand investment opportunities, and facilitate investor operations. He also mentioned that steps are underway to introduce an Investment Protection Act to reinforce this commitment.

The President further stated that the government is working toward building national unity beyond ethnic and religious divisions, creating an efficient public service, maintaining transparent diplomatic relations, and overcoming technological barriers through digitalization, all aimed at strengthening the country’s investment climate.

The U.S. delegation included Harlan Crow, Chairman of Crow Holdings; Krishna Balam, Head of U.S.-India Relations and M&A Business; Sarah Stern, President of Hudson Institute; Ravenel B. Curry, Co-Chief Investment Officer and Founder of Eagle Capital Management; Lucy Billingsley, Co-Founder of Billingsley Company; Katherine Crow, Civic Leader and SMU Trustee; and Walter Russell Mead, Member of the Hudson Institute.

Accompanying the President were Labour Minister and Deputy Minister of Finance and Planning Anil Jayantha Fernando, Secretary to the Ministry of Finance Dr. Harshana Suriyapperuma, and Senior Additional Secretary to the President Russel Aponsu.