"Sri Lanka is ready to re-brand itself and to take off at this time, to reach its full economic potential”, said Sri Lanka’s Ambassador to Belgium, Luxembourg and the European Union (EU) Ravinatha Aryasinha addressing the launch of a comprehensive Sri Lanka Economic Promotion Programme in Brussels.

He noted that despite adverse conditions, in recent years Sri Lanka had posted a sustained economic growth of around 6%, and continued to draw steady flows of foreign investment and tourists.

Ambassador Aryasinha explained that the comprehensive Sri Lanka economic promotion program that was being launched by the Sri Lanka Embassy in Brussels had many facets.

The Mission was also supporting the re-branding of Sri Lanka Tourism – “Sri Lanka: The Small Miracle” and the launch of “Buy One, Get One Free” – the Sri Lankan Airlines new promotion package targeting the European Travelers, states a Media Release from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Colombo.

The Ambassador thanked friends of Sri Lanka who have kept faith in Sri Lanka through these difficult years, and appealed to those who have yet to explore Sri Lanka whether as a trade, investment or travel destination, to do so. He emphasized that by doing so, EU member states and companies will not only be engaging an economy with which Europe has had historic relations and from which it currently received more than a third of Sri Lanka’s exports, but will also be enable Sri Lanka meet its Millennium Development Goals (MDG) and ensure economic empowerment and restoration of normalcy to the lives of people, particularly in the Northern and Eastern Provinces who are yearning to move forward after two decades of subjugation by the LTTE.

Governor of Brussels Hugo Nys inaugurating the event observed that such a promotional effort was being undertaken in Brussels by the Sri Lanka Government after more than 15 years. Pointing out that Diamonds remained a key value added export to Belgium from Sri Lanka, and that “diamonds are for ever”, Governor Nys said he was confident that the friendship between Sri Lanka and Belgium will also be forever.

Ambassador Christian Tanghe speaking on behalf of the Belgian Government said he had visited Sri Lanka several times and was enchanted by the people, the variety of attractions it had to offer, as well as its cuisine. He saw the event as the beginning of a process that will further strengthen the relationship between the two countries.

MEP Geoffrey Van Orden addressing the gathering re-in forced the hope that Sri Lanka having got on top of the terrorist situation could now get back on track and restore normality to the lives of its people. He said he was particularly pleased to see the fisheries sector get back to normal after the devastation in faced a few years ago during the tsunami. He too commended Sri Lanka as a “great tourist destination”.

A Sri Lanka Investment Seminar is to be held in Brussels on 3 June 2009, in collaboration with the Board of Investment (BOI) and the Brussels Enterprises Commerce and Industry (BECI), which will be followed with interactions with the Business communities in the city of Antwerp and Luxembourg.