Fourth round of SL-Thailand FTA negotiations conclude

• Trade agreement is expected to be signed next year

The fourth round of negotiations on the proposed Sri Lanka-Thailand Free Trade Agreement (SLTFTA), which is to be signed next year, concluded yesterday.  

President Ranil Wickremesinghe hopes to improve Sri Lanka’s economic relations with countries belonging to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), which are large and emerging economies. 

A statement from the President’s Media Division said Sri Lanka also expects to tap into other ASEAN markets through Thailand, once the free trade agreement is in place and reduce the existing-non tariff barriers.

A delegation of 35 Thai officials, headed by Thai Trade Negotiations Department Director General Auramon Supathaweethum, arrived in Sri Lanka on March 26, to participate in the fourth round of negotiations.

The National Trade Negotiating Committee, whose members primarily represent the Foreign Affairs, Trade, Commerce and Food Security Ministries, Trade and Investment Policy Department of the Treasury, Commerce Department, Central Bank and Board of Investment participated in the negotiations on behalf of Sri Lanka, under the leadership of Presidential Secretariat Chief Negotiator K.J. Weerasinghe.  The third round of negotiations on the SLTFTA was held in January.