Sri Lanka’s Ambassador to Türkiye, Niluka Kadurugamuwa, met the President of the Istanbul Chamber of Commerce (ICC), Şekib Avdagiç, in Istanbul to explore new bilateral trade and investment cooperation, the Sri Lankan Embassy said in a statement carried by EconomyNext.
The Embassy said the meeting focused on the mutually agreed USD 500 million bilateral trade target under the Türkiye-Sri Lanka Joint Economic Cooperation framework, and on identifying sectors where Turkish businesses could increase trade and investment in Sri Lanka. The Ambassador highlighted Sri Lanka’s location, investor-friendly environment and expanding economic prospects.
Discussions covered enhanced air connectivity between the two countries, maritime cooperation and tourism. As an initial step, both sides agreed to organise a virtual B2B session connecting Sri Lankan traders and exporters with Turkish counterparts.
ICC President Şekib Avdagiç signalled interest in expanding trade relations through increased Turkish investment in Sri Lanka and in promoting Sri Lanka as a destination for Turkish travellers, according to the Embassy.
The Istanbul Chamber of Commerce, established in 1882, is one of Türkiye’s largest business organisations, representing a wide range of industries headquartered in Istanbul. The visit fits within a broader push to deepen private-sector engagement after Sri Lanka and Türkiye held their second round of political consultations in Ankara on May 6, which also covered trade, defence, maritime affairs and tourism.
The outreach to Istanbul follows the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce’s 19-member business delegation to Mumbai earlier this week, part of a wider effort to lift exports and investment ahead of the ADB-targeted USD 100 million export diversification facility.
Source: EconomyNext.
