News

On 10 February 2026, CWEIC Chairman Lord Marland met with representatives at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism in Sri Lanka to discuss opportunities to strengthen the country’s tourism sector and reinforce a stable, investor-friendly business environment.

Lord Marland was accompanied by CWEIC Global Advisory Board members, Niro Cooke and Prof. Asif Chaudry; CWEIC Hub Director for East and Central Africa, AQ Hamza; CWEIC Country Director for Sri Lanka, Deshan Gonawela; and Sandeep Khapre, regional CEO of CWEIC Strategic Partner BDO East Africa.

Discussions focused on attracting high-quality tourism investment, expanding hospitality partnerships across Commonwealth markets, and enhancing connectivity and destination branding to support sustainable sector growth.

The meeting also underscored the importance of macroeconomic stability, financial discipline, and regulatory consistency in restoring investor confidence and sustaining long-term development. Participants emphasised that tourism growth must be underpinned by credibility, policy continuity, and responsible economic management.

CWEIC extends its sincere thanks to Arun Hemachandra, Sri Lanka’s Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs, Dr. Harshana Sooriyapperuma, Secretary to the Treasury, and Mr. Bandara, Director General of the External Resources Department of the Finance Ministry, for their constructive engagement and for the opportunity to exchange views on strengthening Sri Lanka’s tourism and investment landscape.

CWEIC remains committed to supporting Sri Lanka’s efforts to build a predictable, transparent, and reform-oriented environment that encourages sustainable tourism and strategic investment across the Commonwealth network.