Govt aims to make Sri Lanka a US$ 150bn economy in five years

State Minister of Money, Capital Markets and State Enterprise Reforms Ajith Nivard Cabraal recently said that the government was aiming for Sri Lanka to become a US $ 150 billion economy which could be achieved through investments coming into the country over the next five years,

He said so speaking at the 41st National Conference of Chartered Accountants organised by the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Sri Lanka (CA Sri Lanka).

 “We are developing laws to enable people to invest safely and a governance system which will provide the confidence and integrity for people to see Sri Lanka as a viable destination and we are developing the infrastructure which will enable people to do business better,” he said.

“I would like to see Chartered Accountants in Sri Lanka play a more active role in creating new opportunities for the country by connecting the right people to invest and spur growth,” he said.

 “Talk to your clients and your overseas partners and market Sri Lanka to ensure it is robust once again. We must make Sri Lanka a globally accessible workshop. If we make it a workshop, then I think we will have plenty of opportunities for our people,” he told over 2000 participants who had registered for the 3-day conference from 18th to 20th January 2021.

 For the first time in its history, the National Conference recognised as Sri Lanka’s biggest business summit adopted a hybrid model, with a combination of traditional physical and virtual sessions due to the prevailing global pandemic. The participants comprising of Chartered Accountants including business leaders and c-suite executives connected to the conference virtually from all over the world.

Cabraal said the government is taking steps to open up the Colombo Port City and the Hambantota Port Industrial Zone among many other new initiatives which, according to him, are tremendous opportunities for Chartered Accountants to promote to the world.