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Lord Swire undertook a four-day trip to Sri Lanka to connect with Strategic Partners, Commonwealth Stakeholders, and the new Government. CWEIC remains actively engaged in Sri Lanka, with the visit coordinated by Niro Cooke, CWEIC’s Country Chair for Sri Lanka, and Deshan Gonawela, Country Director. Pamela O’Leary, CWEIC Board Member, also joined Lord Swire  for the four days in Colombo. The trip supported Sri Lanka’s economic growth by fostering trade, investment, and business partnerships within the Commonwealth.

The trip began on February 19th with a visit to Port City Colombo, a Strategic Partner of CWEIC, more on the visit can be found here. Port City Colombo is a $15 billion smart city project, aiming to be South Asia’s premier financial and business hub. Strategically located, it offers world-class infrastructure, tax incentives, and a special economic zone to attract global investors.

Later in the day, Lord Swire met the British High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, HE Andrew Patrick. They discussed strengthening ties between the United Kingdom and Sri Lanka, as well as opportunities for Commonwealth businesses.

On 20 February, Lord Swire took part in an interview with Plus94, which can be found here. He also met with the Chairman of the Board of Investment, Arjune Herath, to discuss investment opportunities in Sri Lanka and how CWEIC can provide support as the country positions itself as a leading investment destination in the region.

This was followed by a meeting with Sarva Amarasekara, Chairman of George Steuarts Group, to explore opportunities for collaboration.

Later in the evening, Strategic Partners and key stakeholders gathered at Galle Face for a dinner and networking reception. Lord Swire was pleased to host Hon. Arun Hemachandra, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, and HE Lisa Whanstall, Deputy UK High Commissioner, alongside representatives from Strategic Partners, including KDAW, LOLC Holdings, Port City, and Rank Holdings.

On 21 February, Lord Swire met with the Deputy Minister of Finance, Hon. Harshana Sooriyapperuma, for an in-depth discussion on Sri Lanka’s economic outlook and the potential benefits of strengthening ties with key Commonwealth markets.

The visit concluded on a high note as Lord Swire had the honour of meeting the newly appointed Rt. Hon. Prime Minister, Dr Harini Amarasuriya, and the Minister of Industries, Hon. Sunil Handunnetti. The discussions focused on Sri Lanka’s economic outlook, industrial development, and the role of Commonwealth partnerships in driving sustainable growth. The meeting highlighted opportunities for increased trade, investment, and collaboration between Sri Lanka and Commonwealth markets, reinforcing CWEIC’s commitment to supporting the country’s economic ambitions.