The 24th Annual General Meeting of the Sri Lanka–Germany Business Council was held at the Hilton Colombo Residences, Colombo 2 recently.
Chief guest Deputy Head of Mission of the Embassy of Germany in Sri Lanka, Olaf Malchow, acknowledged Sri Lanka’s efforts and positive results with regard to economic recovery.
He, however, stressed that market liberalisation, investment promotion and the implementation of robust-anti corruption measures would create the right conditions to set Sri Lanka more firmly on the path to sustainable growth.
Asoka Hettigoda, was elected as the President for 2023-2024.
In 1999, a proposal made by the Deputy Ambassador for Germany in Sri Lanka Dr. Hans Von Bothmer resulted in the formation of the Sri Lanka–Germany Business Council and Late R. Sivaratnam was appointed as the first President of the Council.
For the past 24 years, the Sri Lanka-Germany Business Council has been fostering trade relations between the two countries and has extended yeoman service to both countries by bringing the value of trade to US $ 1.1 billion.
For the past 24 years, SLGBC has been fostering new initiatives and areas of corporation between business communities of the two countries with the exchange of trade missions, delegations, new investments and joint ventures and have extended yeoman service to both countries.
The primary objectives of the Business Council are:
To promote trade, tourism and services between Sri Lanka and Germany
To encourage German investment and establishment of joint ventures in Sri Lanka between German and Sri Lanka investors.
To exchange information on trade and investment between the two countries. To conduct and facilitate joint meetings with German business organisations.
To promote Sri Lankan participation in international fairs in Germany.
Karim Schadlou and Roy Anthony were elected as Vice Presidents. The representative of Air Global, Aitken Spence Cargo, Aitken Spence Travels, Autobahn, Central Bearings and Machinery, Detroves Travels, Dial Textile Industries, Diesel & Motor Engineering, MAC Holdings and Malship were elected to the Committee.
The outgoing President, Surendra Ediriweera, will continue to serve on the Committee as the Immediate Past President.
