A meeting with members of the business delegation from the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka was held at the MCCI.
Mr. Vladimir Platonov, the President of the MCCI, welcoming the guests of the Chamber, noted that Moscow maintains close collaboration with Sri Lanka. The speaker reminded that this year, the MCCI celebrates its 32nd anniversary - these are the years of developing market relations, which have changed Russia and its capital city dramatically.
Today, 830,000 entrepreneurs and 1.5 million self-employed people work in Moscow. 25% of the revenue, as part of the city’s budget, comes from the entrepreneurial community, whose activities are constantly monitored by the capital's authorities. They solve problems and help to overcome the difficulties faced by entrepreneurs (in recent years, these include pandemic and sanctions).
International relations are also important components of success, said Mr. Platonov. "Anti-Russian sanctions have not had the expected result for those who imposed them, because Russia continues to successfully develop its economy thanks to cooperation with friendly countries, in particular - with Sri Lanka." The Speaker also said that the MCCI has a Committee for the Development of Cooperation of Business Clubs of Compatriotic Communities, which helps those, wishing to establish business contacts with enterprises not only in Moscow, but also in other regions of Russia. "I am confident that we will continue to build mutually beneficial cooperation between entrepreneurs of our countries," he said.
The Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Sri Lanka to Russia, Professor Ms. Janitha A. Liyanage, thanked colleagues from Sri Lanka and the MCCI for organizing the event: "Relations between our countries have always been stable and long-lasting. Russia has always helped us, no matter what difficulties we have faced. My country does not abide by any statements against the Russian Federation. On the contrary, our colleagues have come to the MCCI today to contribute to the strengthening of our cooperation." She expressed hope that today's meeting will be a good opportunity for entrepreneurs in finding business partners.
Mr. Platonov recalled his years of study at the Peoples' Friendship University, which traditionally has many students from Sri Lanka. "We suggest that Sri Lankan entrepreneurs, when sending their employees for training in Russia, should give them instructions to explore, with the help of the MCCI, various companies interested in cooperation and learn entrepreneurial skills there. This is a new, higher level of mutually beneficial cooperation," he believes. Many Russian companies will be interested in building relations with your country as early as possible, starting with students and young specialists.
Mr. Vladislav Mishchenko, the Counsellor to the President of the MCCI, who moderated the meeting, reminded the audience that the MCCI had held four meetings with Sri Lankan entrepreneurs over the past year and a half. Mr. Mishchenko expressed his gratitude to Ms. Ambassador for her help in organizing these meetings. "The situation in the last two years has focused the interests of Russian business on Asia, and we need to develop cooperation," he noted and named the leading areas of trade with Sri Lanka (fertilizers, consumer-oriented and food industries), which should be developed in inter-country small and medium entrepreneurship. According to Mr. Mishchenko, during the preparation for this meeting, interest in cooperation with Sri Lankan companies was indicated by members of the MCCI engaged in international logistics, fertilizer production, wholesale trade and distribution of medical devices.
"I have high hopes for cooperation with Russia," said Mr. Gurusinh Assiri, a representative of Sri Lanka's business community, introducing the company “Arava”. The company has been in the market for 10 years and has diversified into many areas - logistics, IT, production of tea, spices, greenhouse grow bags, fibers for mattresses, geotextiles and geofiber for road construction. "We export our products in different types and packages to 40 countries around the world," Mr. Assiri said. He invited the meeting’s participants to visit his factories in Sri Lanka and assured that he would be happy to find partners in Russia. After the official part of the event was over, businessmen from Sri Lanka had an opportunity to get acquainted with Russian entrepreneurs and exchange contacts with them.