The first session of Sri Lanka’s fifth Trade Policy Review (TPR) at the World Trade Organization (WTO) commenced in Geneva, Switzerland, on Wednesday (15).

The session, to be held until 20th October 2025, is led by a delegation headed by Minister of Trade, Commerce, Food Security and Cooperative Development, Wasantha Samarasinghe.

During the session, Sri Lanka was given the opportunity to engage in a broad discussion on its economic development goals, with special focus on trade, tariffs, services, and investment policies.

According to Minister Wasanatha Samarasinghe, the review of the new government’s economic policies before WTO member states is considered a highly valuable opportunity, marking a decisive moment for Sri Lanka to re-engage with the multilateral trading system.

This Trade Policy Review is also the first to be held following the appointment of the new government, including President Anura Kumara Dissanayake.

“As the review began under two sessions, I delivered the opening statement on behalf of the country undergoing review,” the minister said, in a statement on social media. 

Minister Wasantha Samarasinghe further said that with attention given to the positive developments, challenges, and issues in Sri Lanka’s trade policies, more than 20 member countries, including China, Japan, Singapore, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom, expressed keen interest in Sri Lanka’s trade sector and offered high praise for its policies.

The second session of the Trade Policy Review will be held on 17th October 2025, during which Sri Lanka will respond to detailed questions from WTO member states.

Representing Sri Lanka at this Trade Policy Review were officials from the Ministry of Trade, the Department of Commerce, the Ministry of Finance, the Central Bank, the Board of Investment, and Sri Lanka Customs. (Newswire)

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Trade Minister Wasantha Samarasinghe has defended the participation of Sri Lankan government officials in the upcoming World Trade Organization (WTO) Trade Policy Review in Geneva, following criticism over the composition of the delegation.

The WTO’s Trade Policy Review of Sri Lanka is scheduled to take place from October 14 to 17 in Geneva. Representatives from multiple agencies—including the Department of Commerce, Ministry of Finance, Central Bank, Sri Lanka Customs, and the Board of Investment (BOI)—are expected to attend, the Minister said.

“This is a discussion of trade policy, not a tour,” Samarasinghe told Parliament.

According to the Minister, Sri Lanka has received 245 questions WTO officials regarding various aspects of its trade policy, and the attending officials are expected to respond to these during the three-day review.

“We must also have a technical point of Sri Lanka, in instances where they may not be satisfied with our answers, and we have to discuss and get back to them,” he said.

Samarasinghe criticized what he described as uninformed and politically motivated comments. “Statements were made at a very low level without any understanding of such a technical process,” he said.

His comments followed remarks by MP Chamara Sampath Dasanayake, who questioned the inclusion of nine officials in the delegation, specifically pointing out the presence of a woman named Nimodi Wickramasinghe, identified as the Public Relations Officer (PRO) of a minister. “I have a question as to why she is going,” Dasanayake said. (Newswire)

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