FCCISL hosts Regional Chamber Leaders Summit 2012

Strengthening the interconnection and relationship among the regional chambers plays a significant role in achieving the primary goal of the chamber movement in Sri Lanka, that of create and maintain an enabling business environment for entrepreneurs to operate their businesses and accomplish broader perspective of developing and promoting a stable national and regional economy.

The Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Sri Lanka (FCCISL) has undertaken various interventions to strengthen the regional chambers spread over the island develop wider network and integrate chambers with each other.

A successful and timely important event was held on 15 and 16 October at the Hotel Ramada, Colombo, as an extension to these efforts taken by FCCISL. Organised by the FCCISL the Regional Chamber Leaders Summit (RCLS) held with the participation of their Regional Chamber members and national bodies such as National Enterprise Development Authority (NEDA).

It was organised in collaboration with the Asia Foundation under its Local Economic Governance Program, supported by the Australian International Agency for Development (AusAID). On 15 October a Fellowship Reception was organised for regional chamber leaders to network and build a casual dialogue before the summit. Minister of Mass Media and Information Keheliya Rambukwella participated as the Chief Guest of the Fellowship. The summit held on 16 October was inaugurated by Senior Minister for Good Governance and Infrastructure Facilities Ratnasiri Wickramanayake.

The summit is a platform for demonstrating the strength of regional chambers and collectively discusses and prioritises the policy and regulatory issues faced by the regional business community and lobby and advocate with the national level policy makers and authorities thereafter.  The Regional Chamber Leaders Summit is held with the set objectives of strengthening the chamber movement, promoting linkages among chamber leadership, infuse professional discipline to the chamber movement, peer learning, skill sharing and knowledge exchanging, identifying common issues affecting business and developing a strategy  for lobbying and exploring pooling of resources for economy of scale.  The summit began with a presentation on ‘Effectiveness of the Regional Lobbying and Advocacy,’ delivered by Anuruddha Warnakula, President of Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Central Province, followed by identifying Lobbying and Policy Advocacy Issues forwarded by regional chambers.

This presentation was done by Kulathunga Perera, Head, International Affairs and Policy Advocacy, FCCISL. Regional policy advocacy issues were prioritised and categorised and an Advocacy Strategy and a Plan were developed thereafter. At the finalisation, the Summit Declaration was signed by all regional chamber leaders and it will be forwarded to the national level policy makers and authorities.