COLOMBO: The Maldives has said it wants to broaden trade links with Sri Lanka and announced investment opportunities in a range of projects opening up for international bidding in the archipelago, such as renewable energy and housing.
The Maldivian High Commissioner in Sri Lanka Zahiya Zareer has invited Sri Lankan firms to invest in development projects in the Maldives, the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce said in a statement.
“We are opening big projects for international bidding, such as airport development, housing, hospitals and renewable power projects,” she said during a meeting with the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce this week.
“Even now there are big Sri Lankan companies operating in the Maldives and we would like other interesting companies to bid for various projects,” she said during talks with the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce’s chief executive Dhara Wijayatilake.
Zareer said that Sri Lanka and the Maldives should look to build more commercial ties, moving away from the traditionally traded goods between the two nations such as fruits, vegetables and fisheries.“We can look at potential synergies existing between the two nations to explore more opportunities,” Wijayatilake said. Education and health services were discussed as potential areas that could be further developed.
During discussions, it was revealed that more than 5,000 Sri Lankans are working in the Maldives, mainly in the tourism sector, while over 10,000 Maldivian nationals are living in Sri Lanka for various purposes such as education.
