Sri Lanka has moved to strengthen its commercial ties with Switzerland, as Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations in Geneva, Sumith Dassanayake, met with Vincent Subilia, Director General of the Geneva Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Services (CCIG), recently (12).

According to the Permanent Mission of Sri Lanka in Geneva , during the meeting, Ambassador Dassanayake briefed the Chamber on Sri Lanka’s recent economic developments and emphasized the considerable untapped potential for expanding trade, investment, and wider commercial relations between the two countries. He highlighted the importance of stronger business‑to‑business engagement to translate longstanding friendly relations into tangible economic partnerships.

The Ambassador underscored opportunities to strengthen institutional links between the Geneva Chamber and Sri Lankan business chambers, including a possible Chamber‑to‑Chamber Memorandum of Understanding, exchanges of business delegations, business matchmaking, and closer cooperation with Sri Lankan trade and investment institutions.

He also shared details of Sri Lanka Expo 2027, scheduled for January 2027 in Colombo, and invited the CCIG to encourage Geneva and Swiss companies to participate and explore emerging trade, sourcing, investment, and partnership opportunities in Sri Lanka.

Director General Subilia welcomed the engagement and agreed to share information on Sri Lanka Expo 2027 and emerging business opportunities with CCIG’s membership through its communication channels. Both sides also discussed possibilities for further Chamber‑to‑Chamber cooperation and continued engagement to connect interested businesses in Sri Lanka and Switzerland.

The Permanent Mission of Sri Lanka in Geneva said in a statement that the meeting marked an initial step towards developing a more practical and sustained partnership between the Sri Lankan Mission in Geneva and the CCIG, with a focus on facilitating direct business connections and identifying concrete commercial opportunities.

Ambassador Dassanayake was accompanied by Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka to the World Trade Organization, R.G.S. Wijesekara, while Arthur Lusenti, Head of International Affairs of the CCIG, also attended the meeting. (Newswire)

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The third meeting of experts on the Migration Partnership between Sri Lanka and Switzerland was held in Bern on Tuesday (29), where the progress made under the Migration Partnership since its launch in 2016 was reviewed.

According to Sri Lanka’s Foreign Ministry, a discussion was also held on the future trajectory of the partnership after the formal handing over of the bilateral Safe Labour Migration Program (SLMP) to the Government of Sri Lanka last year. 

This programme was funded by Switzerland and underscores the commitment to institutionalizing sustainable frameworks for the protection and welfare of Sri Lankan migrant workers. 

Director General/Europe & North America at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism, Sugeeshwara Gunaratna and Director/International Affairs of the State Secretariat for Migration of the Swiss Federal Department of Justice and Police, Ambassador Hendrick Krauskopf, co-chaired the meeting. 

During the meeting, the two sides reaffirmed their commitment to promoting safe, orderly, and regular migration and maximizing the benefits of migration for both migrant workers and members of their families in both origin and destination countries. 

In this regard, discussions focused on pre-departure orientation, migration management, skills development, readmission and reintegration, and combating human trafficking. In particular, further Swiss assistance for the skills development of Sri Lankan migrant workers and strengthening collaboration with the National Anti-Human Trafficking Task Force (NAHTTF) were discussed. 

The two sides also exchanged views on current migration trends in both countries and opportunities for Sri Lankan workers through the development and recognition of the domestic skills development framework. 

The Sri Lanka delegation comprised representatives of the Sri Lanka Foreign Employment Bureau, the Department of Immigration and Emigration, as well as the Permanent Mission of Sri Lanka to the United Nations in Geneva. 

The Switzerland delegation comprised representatives of the State Secretariat for Migration, the Federal Office of Police, and the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs. (Newswire)

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Switzerland has pledged its support in recovering assets that have been moved out of Sri Lanka.

The assurance was given by the Ambassador of Switzerland to Sri Lanka, Dr. Siri Walt during a meeting with the Secretary to the President, Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake at the Presidential Secretariat today (Jan 24).

During discussions, Ambassador Walt provided guidance on the international measures required for reclaiming such assets and expressed Switzerland’s readiness to extend support whenever necessary by providing essential resources and assistance.

The discussion also focused on utilizing Switzerland’s expertise and technical knowledge to assist Sri Lanka’s ongoing anti-corruption initiatives. The Swiss government reiterated its commitment to providing technical and financial support for Sri Lanka’s priority programs, including the “Clean Sri Lanka” program.

The Ambassador additionally expressed Switzerland’s commitment to supporting Sri Lanka in addressing social challenges, promoting national reconciliation, and assisting with the development of the Northern region through necessary aid and resources. (Newswire)

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Swiss airline, Edelweiss Air, resumed scheduled seasonal flight operations to Sri Lanka for the winter season, with the first flight carrying 221 passengers arriving at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) in Katunayake at 9.25 am today.

The inaugural flight was ceremonially welcomed with a water salute by Airport and Aviation Services (Sri Lanka) Pvt. Limited (AASL).

According to the AASL, Edelweiss commenced operations of its A340-300 to Colombo on October 31 and will continue until May 9, 2025. Edelweiss has also announced that it will operate two direct flights to Colombo in the 2025 winter.

The new connection offers a convenient direct flight for travellers from Colombo to the heart of Europe, with many onward flight options from Zurich connecting to Europe, North America, and beyond with Swiss International Airlines.

Edelweiss is wholly owned by Swiss International Airlines and is part of the Lufthansa Group. It operates direct flights to Europe, North America, and beyond with Swiss International Airlines from its hub at Zurich Airport.

Flights are booked under the SWISS International and Lufthansa codeshare partnership, operated by Edelweiss (WK). The airline offers a premium onboard experience across all classes, with a total capacity of 314 seats (27 business, 76 premium economy, and 211 economy).

Founded in 1995 and named after the Edelweiss flower, a symbol of Switzerland known for its resilience and beauty, the airline is committed to quality and customer satisfaction and has established itself as a prominent player in the aviation industry.

Last year, from 3rd November 2023 to 17th May 2024, Edelweiss Flight carried over 5500 passengers to Sri Lanka and lifted more than 3100 passengers. 

“We are grateful to Swiss International Airlines, operated by Edelweiss, for its remarkable contribution to the aviation and tourism industries in Sri Lanka during the season. We are happy to welcome back Edelweiss to our skies, and we thank United Ventures (Pvt) Ltd. for their wonderful support and collaboration as the GSA for Lufthansa Group in Sri Lanka,” AASL said in a statement. (Newswire)

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Cabinet approval has been granted to sign the proposed agreement on the Global Textiles and Apparel Program between the Sri Lanka Export Development Board (EDB) and the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs. 

The government states that it was proposed to enter into a project agreement between the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs and the EDB for the implementation of the second phase of the Global Textile and Apparel Program for the Textile and Apparel Industry Sector in Sri Lanka. 

By entering into the agreement, Sri Lanka will be able to seek the support of the Global Textiles and Apparels Program for a transformation of the textile and apparel industry based on the task of moving towards quality green products by promoting digitization. 

Accordingly, the Cabinet approved the proposal presented by the President, in his capacity as Minister of Investment Promotion, to sign the said agreement. (Newswire)

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National Peoples Power (NPP) Leader MP Anura Kumara Dissanayake has held discussions with the Japan, South Africa, and Switzerland Heads of Missions in Sri Lanka. 

According to the NPP, MP Dissanayake met with Japanese Ambassador to Sri Lanka Mizukoshi Hideaki, High Commissioner of South Africa Sandile Schalk, and Ambassador to Switzerland Siri Walt. 

The meeting took place at the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna’s Head Office on Thursday (May 09) with the participation of an NPP delegation, consisting of Dr. Rizwi Sally, Saroja Paulraj, Ramalingam Chandrasekar and Attorney-at-Law Harshana Nanayakkara.

The First Secretary (Political Affairs) of the Japanese Embassy Murata Shinichi, the Second Secretary (Political Affairs) of the South African High Commission Zanethemba Tshangela and the First Secretary (Political Affairs) of the Switzerland Embassy Justine Boillat also participated in the discussion. 

An intense discussion was held on maintaining peace and harmony between the nationalities of Sri Lanka, while questions were raised on the NPP’s policies and solutions in this regard.

Responding, the NPP Leader shared that his party was not ready to use racism for politics in any way, and emphasized that they are ready to provide solutions to the national problem based on equality and democracy.

The NPP delegation also pointed out that the national problem cannot be solved in isolation as it is interlinked with other factors, and that it must be addressed as a single problem to find a solution.

The National Peoples Power further expressed its gratitude to the Heads of Missions for the interest of the international community in this matter. (Newswire)

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The 4th round of bilateral consultations between Sri Lanka and Switzerland took place in Colombo on Friday (Apr 05), where discussions were held on the potential to further enhance economic relations.

The bilateral consultations were co-chaired by the Ambassador Head of Asia Pacific at the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA) Heinrich Schellenberg and Additional Secretary/ Bilateral (West) of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Sri Lanka Yasoja Gunasekera.

According to Sri Lanka’s Foreign Ministry, Sri Lanka appreciated the Swiss assistance extended to the Export Development Board (EDB) in identifying further markets for Sri Lankan exports and proposed collaboration in the textile industry. The two countries agreed to work towards and explore diversifying trade relations and further potential in the tourism sector.

Sri Lanka appreciated the long-standing Swiss support in the area of labour migration. Both sides acknowledged the positive impact of this collaboration in ensuring safe labour migration.   

The meeting also considered collaboration on education, research and innovation, particularly exploring avenues for joint research and connectivity between universities. Opportunities to collaborate on Environment, Climate Change and Sustainability were also discussed.

It was agreed to hold the 5th Session of the political consultations in Bern, Switzerland in 2026. Bilateral political consultations between Sri Lanka and Switzerland were held according to the Memorandum of Understanding on Foreign Office Consultations signed in 2016. (Newswire)

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President Ranil Wickremesinghe has held discussions with Swiss President Viola Amherd.

According to the President’s Media Division (PMD), the meeting took place on Wednesday (Jan 17).

The meeting reportedly took place on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum underway in Davos, Switzerland. (NewsWire)

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President Ranil Wickremesinghe has highlighted significant strides in Sri Lanka’s economic recovery and outlined future growth prospects, during his official tour to Switzerland to attend the 54th Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum.

The President provided the brief while addressing the Business Roundtable organized by BOI Sri Lanka and the Swiss-Asian Chamber of Commerce yesterday.

President Wickremesinghe began by acknowledging the challenging times the nation faced, noting the adverse effects of the recent crisis on businesses, small enterprises and the overall population. He mentioned a constructive meeting with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), where it was surprising to learn that Sri Lanka had overperformed despite the difficulties.

One key aspect highlighted by the President was the successful debt restructuring in collaboration with the IMF, emphasizing its necessity for dealing with creditors. He outlined the reforms undertaken in 2022 and 2023, addressing crucial business impediments and resolving supply bottlenecks in fuel and electricity. Additionally, import restrictions were lifted, foreign exchange liquidity was restored and a primary surplus in the balance of payments is anticipated for the first time since 1977.

President Wickremesinghe highlighted positive indicators such as the stabilization of the currency, a significant reduction in inflation, and the reversal of negative economic growth from the third quarter of 2023. The achievement of a primary budget surplus in 2023 marked a notable improvement.

The President went on to discuss the effective progress in debt restructuring, with key creditors agreeing in principle. The IMF’s approval of Sri Lanka’s first program review in December 2023 sets the stage for a shift from stabilization to recovery and growth in 2024.

Looking ahead, President Wickremesinghe emphasized the government’s focus on fostering growth through exports, services and investments, including foreign direct investment (FDI). He announced concluded and upcoming FTAs with Singapore, Thailand, India and China, along with ongoing talks with other South Asian nations. The President highlighted Sri Lanka’s initiatives to join the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) and the benefits of GSP Plus for access to European markets.

The address concluded with the President unveiling opportunities for investments in renewable energy, agriculture modernization, tourism, IT and infrastructure development through public-private partnerships. He highlighted forthcoming laws and commissions aimed at enhancing market access, fostering trade and investment and ensuring the competitiveness of Sri Lanka’s economy. President Wickremesinghe reassured foreign investors by mentioning the removal of restrictions and the ongoing commitment to economic reforms.

Meanwhile, sharing his perspective during the roundtable discussion on Sri Lanka’s undertaken reforms, the President’s Senior Advisor on National Security and Presidential Chief of Staff, Sagala Ratnayaka emphasized a comprehensive approach encompassing both economic and governmental facets.

Ratnayaka highlighted that alongside economic reforms, the government embarked on an extensive array of changes. This included a proactive engagement in a diagnostics exercise initiated by the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

Notably, the government did not wait for the completion of the IMF diagnostics exercise but initiated various measures beforehand. Initiatives like the establishment of the Parliamentary Budget Office were implemented even before the governance diagnostics report was published.

Subsequent to these initial steps, a comprehensive program was launched to implement diagnostic reforms. Ratnayaka underscored the significance of introducing critical legislation, such as the anti-corruption law. He explained the process by which the Constitutional Council would recommend commissioners for the Anti-Corruption Commission to the President. Emphasizing a forward-looking approach, Ratnayaka affirmed that all undertaken actions aim to elevate international standards.

The Senior Advisor highlighted the introduction of a substantial number of pieces of legislation on the governance front, with approximately 20 already completed. Looking ahead, the focus includes labour laws, with a target of 40 or 50 new laws and the consolidation of around 40 to 50 existing legislations into a modern, forward-looking framework. The overarching goal is to create a favourable environment for employers and align Sri Lanka with contemporary global standards.

The Business Roundtable provided a platform for Sri Lanka to showcase its economic resilience and commitment to growth, leaving attendees optimistic about the nation’s future prospects.

Representing the Sri Lankan business community at this Business Roundtable were Mr. Krishan Balendra – Chairman John Keels Holdings, Mr. Sanath Manatunge – CEO/MD Commercial Bank PLC, Mr. Dilshan Wirasekara – Chairman Colombo Stock Exchange, Mr. Prakash Schaffter – Deputy Chairman Janashakthi Insurance PLC, Mr. Keith Bernard – Chairman, Sri Lanka Ports Authority, Ms. Stasshani Jayawardena – Joint Deputy Chairman/MD, Aitken Spence PLC, Mr. Sanjeev Gardiner – Chairman Galle Face Group, Mr. Ashok Pathirage – Chairman Sri Lankan Airlines, Mr. Sujeewa Rajapakse – Chairman People’s Bank, Dr. Parakrama Dissanayake – Deputy Chairman & Managing Director, Aitken Spence PLC and ⁠ Mr. Supun Weerasinghe – CEO Daialog Axiata.

In addition, Mr. Dinesh Weerakkody – Chairman Board of Investment/Chairman Colombo Port City Economic Commission, Mr. Revan Wickramasuriya – Chief Operating Officer Colombo Port City Economic Commission, Mr. Prasanjith Wijayatilake – Executive Director Investment Promotion Board of Investment, Mr. Sagala Ratnayaka – Chief of Staff to the President & NSA, Mr. Deshal De Mel – Advisor to the Finance Minister and Mr. Ruwan Wijewardene – Advisor to the President on Climate Change participated in this roundtable discussion. (NewsWire)

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Swiss airline, Edelweiss Air, resumed Flight operations to Sri Lanka with the first flight arriving at the Bandaranaike International Airport in Katunayake (BIA) today (Nov 03).

Commencing winter operations, the renowned Swiss airline flight arrived with 221 passengers at 8.50 a.m. at the BIA.

Airport and Aviation Services (Sri Lanka) (Private) Limited (AASL) said the airline will operate weekly flights from Zurich to Colombo from November 03, 2023 until May 17, 2024.

The new connection offers a convenient direct flight for travellers from Colombo to the heart of Europe, with many onward flight options from Zurich connecting to Europe, North America, and beyond with Swiss International Air Lines.

Edelweiss Air is the holiday airline based at Zurich Airport, a sister company of Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS) and a member of the Lufthansa Group that primarily operates charter and holiday flights to 70 destinations in over 30 countries worldwide.

Founded in 1995 and named after the Edelweiss flower, a symbol of Switzerland known for its resilience and beauty, the airline is committed to quality and customer satisfaction and has established itself as a prominent player in the aviation industry.

As a reliable companion, the airline’s entire 2023/24winter flight schedule includes 57 holiday destinations in 32 countries-short, medium, and long-haul – and ensures a pleasant and carefree travel time and enjoyment safety, and well-being of its passengers on board.

The GSA for the airline in Sri Lanka is United Ventures (Pvt) Ltd. (NewsWire)

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The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) in Sri Lanka has acknowledged a recent contribution of approximately Rs. 292 million from the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) at a special event held at the Embassy of Switzerland to Sri Lanka and the Maldives. 

Issuing a statement, WFP stated that the funding is being used to provide much-needed cash and other assistance to improve food security among rural farming communities affected by the country’s economic crisis.

Through this funding, over 1,000 smallholder farmers across five drought-prone districts are being provided with RS. 50,000 each to access essential items, including food. The funding will also support recovery among communities grappling with the twin challenges of the economic and climate crises. Through a suite of assistance, which includes diversified sources of income and enhanced access to markets, WFP aims to improve the livelihoods of those most vulnerable to the adverse effects of climate change.

“Switzerland is supporting Sri Lanka in many ways during this difficult time. Farmers, their families and many people associated with the agricultural sector are currently facing enormous difficulties. I am grateful that we have developed a partnership with WFP to strengthen the resilience of Sri Lankan farmers. This will ultimately benefit the entire population,” said Ambassador of Switzerland to Sri Lanka and the Maldives Dr. Dominik Furgler.

“Smallholder farmers form the backbone of our food systems but are among those hardest hit by the economic crisis,” said Abdur Rahim Siddiqui, Representative and Country Director of WFP Sri Lanka.

“Their capacity to cope has been stretched to the limit, severely undermining their ability to withstand any future disasters such as floods and drought. This funding from Switzerland is timely and critical to assist these communities in meeting their immediate food needs while helping to restore food security in the long term.”

Sri Lanka was ranked second among countries most affected by extreme weather events in the last 20 years, as per the Global Climate Risk Index 2019. 

As part of its efforts to strengthen food security, WFP works towards making food systems more robust and resilient to the effects of the climate crisis. The generous contribution from the Swiss Government enables WFP to sustain the positive outcomes of prior projects which strengthened the resilience of climate-vulnerable communities and promotes self-reliance among smallholders even in times of crisis. (NewsWire)

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