Business networking event and market familiarisation program for Sri Lankan exporters in Egypt

Wednesday, 4 March 2020 01:44 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Embassy of Sri Lanka in Egypt organised a business networking event, from 23 to 25 February, with the participation of an 11-member delegation of Sri Lankan exporters, facilitated by the Sri Lanka Export Development Board, funded by the Ministry of Foreign Relations, under the Economic Diplomacy Program. This event focused on promoting selected Sri Lankan products having a high demand in the Egypt markets namely; Ceylon Tea, coconut products, rubber products and spices.

As a result of the efforts made by the Embassy of Sri Lanka in Egypt, the event attracted 42 Egyptian companies to interact with the visiting Sri Lankan delegation, organised at the Ramses Hilton hotel in Cairo, on 23 February. Welcoming the guests, the Ambassador of Sri Lanka to Egypt Damayanthie Rajapakse emphasised that the major objective of this program was to reinforce trade relations between Sri Lanka and Egypt and to explore avenues for a variety of Sri Lankan products to enter the hundred million market in Egypt.

The Commercial Secretary of the Embassy Shiwanthi Abeyrathne, made a comprehensive presentation on trade, drawing attention to the selected product sectors and on the investment opportunities in Sri Lanka as well. During the first session, each Sri Lankan company made presentations on their business profile and products and the second session was devoted to conducting one to one meetings with the Egyptian counterparts. The Embassy arranged the Sri Lankan delegation to visit the warehouses of the selected Egyptian companies on 24 and 25 February as a means of further strengthening the business links between the entrepreneurs of both countries. Ceylon Tea was served to the participants, throughout the program. Further, the Mission arranged and facilitated the visiting delegation to meet with the management of two leading supermarket chains in Egypt, MAF Carrefour Supermarkets and AL LuLu Hypermarkets on 23 and 24 February respectively.

This business networking event proved to be an effective exercise for the Sri Lankan delegation to attain the twin objectives of establishing business links on identified potential business partnerships with the Egyptian counterparts and entering into the Egypt market through the major supermarket outlets in Egypt.