SL Govt welcomes inclusion in UK GSP scheme

June 20, 2023 at 11:30 AM

Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena has welcomed the United Kingdom’s decision to include Sri Lanka as a beneficiary country under the UK GSP Scheme “Developing Countries Trading Scheme (DCTS)”.

According to the PM’s Office, Premier Gunawardena said Sri Lanka hopes that new investment projects will be initiated by the UK following the conclusion of the debt restructuring process and the unlocking of the IMF fund facility.

He added that Sri Lanka encourages UK investment in sectors such as education, banking and financial services, IT/BPM, pharmaceuticals, hospitality and tourism.

Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena made the remarks when the outgoing High Commissioner of the United Kingdom Sarah Hulton paid a farewell call on him at the Temple Trees yesterday (19).

The Prime Minister thanked the outgoing High Commissioner for her persistent efforts to strengthen friendly relations between Sri Lanka and the UK.

The Prime Minister said that the untiring efforts of the High Commissioner to further strengthen Sri Lanka and UK bilateral partnership were praiseworthy. 

During her assignment in Sri Lanka since 2019, a strong presence of the UK in Sri Lanka was maintained with engagement in diverse areas, he said.

High Commissioner Sarah Hulton said in this meeting that the support extended by PM Dinesh Gunawardena during his tenure as the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Minister of Education as well as during his tenure as the current Prime Minister was a great strength for the bilateral relations between the two countries.

The Prime Minister wished the High Commissioner Hulton every success in her future endeavours.

Secretary to the Prime Minister, Anura Dissanayake also attended the meeting. (NewsWire)