Interactive session on WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement and relevance for Sri Lankan businesses

The International Chamber of Commerce of Sri Lanka (ICCSL) is organising a special Interactive Session on the ‘WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement and its relevance for Sri Lankan Businesses’. The session is scheduled to be held on 30 August from 2:30 p.m. onwards at Lakshman Kadirgamar Institute of International Relations and Strategic Studies at Horton Place, Colombo.

Several senior trade officials and experts on the subject are lined up to deliver presentations at the event. Amongst them are, Sri Lanka’s Permanent Representative to the WTO in Geneva Ambassador R.D.S. Kumararatne who will take part as the Resource Person. Additionally, Department of Commerce Director General Sonali Wijeratne, Department of Customs Additional Director General S. Rajendran and Shippers Academy Sri Lanka CEO Rohan Masakorala will be representing the Private Sector. International Chamber of Commerce Sri Lanka Chairman Keerthi Gunawardena will conduct the welcome remarks.

The WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement and its protocol towards Sri Lankan businesses, the need for the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement, its benefits to local businesses, current initiatives to improve Trade Facilitation in Sri Lanka and pending issues faced by Sri Lanka businesses etc. will come under discussion at this seminar.

Trade experts are of the opinion that the implementation of the Trade Facilitation Agreement will bring positive results, to small economies such as Sri Lanka to improve their competitiveness in the global market and to attract foreign direct investment through application of simplified border control measures in supporting trade.

Sri Lanka became the 81st member to ratify a Trade Facilitation Agreement with the World Trade Organisation to improve competitiveness in the global market. Sri Lanka’s Permanent Representative to the WTO in Geneva Ambassador R.D.S. Kumararatne presented the Instrument of the Protocol on Trade Facilitation to WTO Director General early June this year. Once the two-third (108) of the current membership deposits its Instruments of Acceptance, the Agreement will come into effect.

Participation in the program will be limited and will be strictly on prior registration basis. Interested persons can contact the ICCSL Secretariat for Registration on 0112-307841.