Bahrain says it is ready to engage with Sri Lanka’s economic growth, as they are very confident of the commercial potential Sri Lanka has.

This was said by the Principal Advisor to the Prime Minister of Bahrain, Shaikh Salman Bin Khalifa Al Khalifa, when visited the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce (CCC) last week. He was accompanying a group of Bahrain businessmen.

“We have confidence in the Sri Lankan economy and ready to help build your country,’ he told the chamber members.

Prince Khalifa however said it was important that Sri Lanka looked at its laws on lands for foreign investors.

“The issue of ownership of land is critical for foreign investors,” he said.

Prince Khalifa, who arrived in the country to attend the three-day ‘Sri Lanka Investment and Business Conclave 2016’, also invited the Sri Lankan businesses to invest in Bahrain, which he said is the gateway to the Middle Eastern market.

In response to the comments made by Salman Bin Khalifa Al Khalifa, CCC Chairman Samantha Ranatunga said Sri Lanka was a highly attractive destination for foreign direct investment (FDIs). He said the country’s free trade agreements with India and Pakistan and also close proximity to the International maritime route gives an ideal platform for overseas companies to set up businesses in Sri Lanka.

Lilakshini De Mel, Senior Assistant Secretary General of the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce and several chamber members were also present during the occasion.