The upcoming ‘Sri Lanka Economic Summit 2017’ will dig deeper into the Sri Lanka’s latest trade reform agenda anchored towards new preferential trade pacts, tariff liberalization and export promotion, with the participation of an expert line up of speakers, representing both local and international trade bodies.

The experts will take their seats at a thematic session titled ‘’Executing a Smarter Trade Strategy Amidst Turbulence’, and will share their views and also recommendations on Sri Lanka’s Trade Strategy and the direction it should take.

The session will kick off with presentations by Dr. Ganeshan Wignaraja, Chair of the Global Economy Programme of the Lakshman Kadirgamar Institute of International Relations and Strategic Studies and Dr. Harsha Vardhana Singh, Executive Director of Brookings India, a policy research body.

The duo’s presentations would be followed by a panel discussion, with the participation of Economist Dr. Dushni Weerakoon, Deputy Director of the Institute of Policy Studies and Ms. Elizabeth Ward, Special Negotiator, Office of Trade Negotiations, Department of Foreign Affairs and trade of Australia. Anushka Wijesinha, Chief Economist of the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce will moderate the session.

The session will discuss whether the anti-globalization rhetoric is a real threat, what is the smarter way for Sri Lanka to plan out its forward march towards liberalization and trade integration and how can Sri Lanka latch on to the growth in Asia, using ASEAN as a pivot.

‘Sri Lanka Economic Summit 2017,’ organized by the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce will take place on the 25th and 26th July 2017 at the Cinnamon Grand Hotel, Colombo.