Tuesday Oct 13, 2026
Tuesday Oct 13, 2026
Tuesday, 13 October 2026 01:24 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
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| Ceylon Chamber Chairperson Krishan Balendra |
Sri Lanka must now convert economic stability into sustained growth, greater competitiveness and investment, The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce said yesterday, opening the Sri Lanka Economic and Investment Summit 2026 before more than 800 delegates.
The two-day summit, held under the theme ‘Positioning Sri Lanka in a Changing Global Economy: Resilience, Reform, and the Future of Economic Policy’, has drawn over 60 international delegates and investors, according to the organisers.
“Sri Lanka today stands on a stronger foundation of economic stability. The challenge now is to translate that stability into sustained growth, greater competitiveness, investment and shared prosperity,” Ceylon Chamber Chairperson Krishan Balendra said in his opening address.
The summit, the chamber’s flagship event, is in its 26th consecutive year since its inception in 2000. For the second successive year, its scope has been widened to include an investment dimension, which Balendra said reflected the recognition that attracting sustainable, high-quality investment was essential to the country’s long-term economic transformation.
According to the organisers, Sri Lanka is moving from stabilisation towards accelerated, inclusive growth, anchored in private sector-led development, strategic investment and export expansion aimed at lifting national output and per capita income. The summit is designed to showcase reforms and new growth drivers, with sessions featuring senior Government officials, business leaders, global experts and investors.
Over the two days, Balendra said, discussions would cover the country’s macroeconomic outlook and policy priorities, ways to integrate more deeply into emerging global trade and investment value chains, and high-potential sectors including education, healthcare, energy, and ports and logistics. The organisers also listed tourism and diversified exports, such as value-added agricultural products, electronics, IT and pharmaceuticals, among the areas of focus.
“I hope this summit goes beyond discussion and inspires both public and private sector leaders to become reform champions, driving the innovation, competitiveness and reforms needed to secure Sri Lanka’s next phase of growth,” he said.
The opening was followed by a session titled ‘Gateway to Growth: Asia’s Emerging Opportunity’.
Yesterday morning’s program also included an investment-focused panel discussion on the country’s investment landscape, covering opportunities across priority sectors and the policy, regulatory and institutional support available to investors. The panel comprised Board of Investment (BOI) Board Member Vish Govindasamy, Export Development Board (EDB) Chairman and CEO Mangala Wijesinghe and Department of Commerce Acting Director General Somasena Mahadiulwewa, and was moderated by Ceylon Chamber Chief Economist Arani Rodrigo.
This was followed by a conversation on digital transformation and the economy with President’s Chief Advisor on Digital Economy Dr. Hans Wijayasuriya, moderated by Ceylon Chamber Secretary General and CEO Shiran Fernando. The session was set to take stock of Sri Lanka’s progress in building its digital economy, from digital public infrastructure and services to technology adoption and innovation, as well as the remaining gaps and priorities for the next phase, including how digitalisation could drive productivity, investment and growth.
The morning concluded with a business-to-business (B2B) session bringing together investors, the local private sector and State institutions, intended to facilitate partnerships, collaborations and investment.
Pix by Lasantha Kumara
