The Board of Investment of Sri Lanka (BOI) has strengthened its investment attraction capabilities through a knowledge-sharing workshop conducted by the Australian Trade and Investment Commission (Austrade), focusing on strategies and best practices to promote and attract quality Foreign Direct Investment (FDI).
The workshop forms part of an identified activity under the bilateral Trade and Investment Facilitation Agreement (TIFA) Action Plan between Sri Lanka and Australia. It follows an earlier knowledge-sharing session on Austrade’s trade promotion and facilitation programme. Australian High Commissioner to Sri Lanka Mathew Duckworth, delivering the keynote address, highlighted Sri Lanka’s competitive advantages, particularly its skilled workforce and strategic location.
“In my role here, I study the Sri Lankan economy a lot, and I see a lot of competitive advantage here,” he said, emphasizing the need for appropriate domestic policies and conditions to attract investment and maximize the country’s economic strengths. The workshop was conducted by Andrew Carter, Trade and Investment Commissioner of Austrade, while BOI Chairman Duminda Hulangamuwa delivered the welcome remarks.
The programme provided BOI officials with insights into Austrade’s approach to FDI attraction, including priority sectors, international branding, investor targeting, development of sector-specific value propositions and investor service delivery. Participants also examined how Austrade manages the entire investor lifecycle, covering investment promotion, attraction, facilitation, aftercare and retention.
Digital tools, pipeline management and an investment case study from Austrade’s India Investment Team were also discussed.
The sessions further explored Australian Government policy frameworks and mechanisms for coordination among government agencies, with participation from Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
The knowledge-sharing initiative comes as countries increasingly compete for high-quality FDI capable of generating employment, technology transfer, economic growth and sustainable development. The BOI expects the workshop to enhance its institutional capacity to identify and engage quality investors while strengthening sector-specific investment promotion.
Insights gained are also expected to support the development of value proposition briefs for Sri Lanka’s mineral and education sectors, helping the country better position its investment opportunities in the global market.
Source: Daily News
