Trade and Investment Promotion Mission to Vietnam in March

The Sri Lanka – Vietnam Business Council (SLVBC) of the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce will organize a Trade and Investment promotion mission to Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh in Vietnam from 4^th to 8^th March, 2012. “It will certainly boost economic ties between Sri Lanka and Vietnam” said His Excellency Ton Sinh Thanh, Ambassador for Vietnam at the networking session held on 18^th January, 2012 at the Embassy of Vietnam in Colombo.

The newly appointed Committee of the Sri Lanka – Vietnam Business Council (SLVBC) of the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce paid a courtesy call to His Excellency Thanh to renew the strong ties established between the Council and the Embassy of Vietnam in Colombo. Recalling the numerous activities successfully concluded by the Council, the Ambassador assured his fullest co-operation for the proposed trade and investment promotion mission. The main objectives of the mission are enhancing trade, tourism and investment promotion between Sri Lanka and Vietnam. The delegates would be provided with an opportunity to meet key Government officials in Vietnam and visits have already been planned to various high tech industrial parks in Ho Chi Minh. It was also emphasised that many opportunities are in the pipeline to attract investment from Vietnam to Sri Lanka in the areas such as manufacturing of machinery for agro industry, food processing, fisheries and oil exploration. However, due to inadequate publicity and awareness amongst the potential business partners in Vietnam, the present investment is remarkably low compared to total Vietnamese investment overseas amounts to US$ 10 billion.

Mr. Anton Godfrey, President of the Council assured that SLVBC in association with the Embassy of Vietnam, will launch regular awareness programmes for the benefit of business community encouraging more inbound and outbound travel between the two countries. Some of the key activities planned for 2012 are issuing of newsletters, posting of news articles on the www.srilankavietnambiz.lk web site and organising of a seminar on “Doing Successful Business in Vietnam”. The Ambassador and three key business personalities who have already established successful businesses in Vietnam will address the gathering at the seminar scheduled to be held in early May 2012. In addition, the Council is looking at the possibility of organising a Single Country Trade Fair in Vietnam during 2012.

On behalf of the members of the Council, His Excellency assured issuance of necessary travel documents within a short time span. The Council applauded the decision of His Excellency since this mechanism will further improve outbound travel from Sri Lanka to Vietnam in the near future.

From left:  Andre Fernando, MAC Holdings (Pvt) Ltd., Phung Trong Tuan, Embassy of Vietnam, Dr. Mahesha Ranasoma, Dipped Products PLC, His Excellency Ton Sinh Thanh, Ambassador for Vietnam, Anton Godfrey, President of Sri Lanka – Vietnam Business Council/CEO AG International (Pvt) Ltd., Patrick Rodrigo, Walker Sons Ltd., Lilakshini de Mel, The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce, Rohitha Tillekeratne, Merchant Lanka Pvt Ltd., Nasleen Jayawardana, Cinnamon Lakeside Colombo and Sirimal Fernando, Astron Ltd.