High Commissioner Rohitha Bogollagama met with The Rt Hon Greg Hands, Minister of State for Trade Policy and Minister for London on 12 December 2023 at the Department for Business and Trade of the UK and had discussions on enhancing bilateral economic and trade relations.
High Commissioner Bogollagama presented his compliments to the UK Government for the support and as well as the understanding during social, economic, and political challenges which Sri Lanka went through and explained the steadfast journey of Sri Lanka by overcoming the economic turmoil under the leadership of HE the President Ranil Wickremesinghe.
During the discussion High Commissioner Bogollagama emphasised on key areas on enhancing exports from Sri Lanka to the UK. He mentioned that ‘Sri Lanka largely depend on its manufacturing industries, especially apparel manufacturing plants which were formed with foreign investments, with improved and assured market access guaranteed through the Multi-Fibre Agreement (MFA) in 1970s. However, at present the Sri Lankan apparel exports sector largely depend on the fabric imported from Far-East Asian countries due to the lack of a fabric base in Sri Lanka. The garments manufactured using these fabrics do not qualify under the ‘Double Transformation’ Rules of Origin criteria being implemented under the UK’s DCTS. Therefore, this has become a hindrance in attracting more investments into the apparel industry where the country has developed a great level of expertise over the last 50 years and particularly in Government’s efforts on post-war reconciliation measures of developing the Northen and Eastern provinces of Sri Lanka and generating employment opportunities for the under-privileged youth in those areas.’ » Read more
High Commissioner H.E. Rohitha Bogollagama met with the Rt Hon Liam Fox, MP on 12 December 2023 at the House of Parliament, United Kingdom.
