The Ambassador of Maldives, Hussein Shareef will be the guest speaker at a seminar on ‘Bilateral Trade between Sri Lanka and the Maldives’ organised by the National Chamber of Commerce of Sri Lanka, on Tuesday, June 26 from 3.00-4.30 p.m. at the Chamber Auditorium, D.R. Wijewardena Mawatha, Colombo 10. The Counsellor and senior officials of the Embassy will also be present. Participants will get an opportunity to speak with the Ambassador of Maldives and the officials.
With a population of around four million, Maldives’ principal activities are tourism and fishing. Maldive Fish remains a major import to Sri Lanka. Today, Sri Lanka exports nearly 250 to 300 products to Maldives, such as fruits and vegetable, electrical items, construction products, confectionary items, mineral water, tea, and wooden furniture.
Statistics reveal that majority of Sri Lankan supplies to Maldives are SMEs. Maldives has less trade barriers; consisting of a small land area with business offices located centred in the Capital, Male, business could be concluded, covering all offices within two days.
There is a demand for quality consumer goods, including food and electronic equipment, and has potential to export items such as fresh fruit, vegetables, coconut and rubber products, vegetable fat, and plastic products. Sri Lanka also has potential in areas such as travel and tourism/hotel, in the Maldives. Supply of skilled workers to the Maldives is another area that Sri Lanka could promote in the Maldives.