The newest entrant to Africa’s top ten list called for renewed trade with Sri Lanka on 12 November-and the yearning for trade renewal was such, it wants a historic feat of more than three trade pacts with Sri Lanka in one go by next year itself! “We are looking forward to more trade interaction, and also a delegation to Nairobi from Sri Lanka next year. By the time of your visit to Nairobi we are looking forward to conclude current discussions on three agreements being discussed and to sign them” said (HE) Amb. Nelson Ndirangu Ogn (Director, Economic Affairs and International Trade of Kenyan Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Nairobi) on 12 November in Colombo.

(HE) Amb. Ogn was addressing Rishad Bathiudeen (Minister of Industry and Commerce of Sri Lanka) and his top officials during his delegation’s courtesy call on Minister Bathiudeen at EDB on 12 November. (HE) Amb. Ogn was in Colombo leading a nine-member trade delegation to Sri Lanka. The Kenyan team successfully concluded their Joint Economic Cooperation (JEC) session with the official delegation of Minister Bathiudeen on 11 November in Colombo.

“We are aiming to become a middle income country by 2030. We are also looking forward to more trade and business interaction with Sri Lanka, and a top delegation to Nairobi from Sri Lanka next year needs to be agreed upon” said (HE) Amb. Ogn, and added: “We welcome a delegation to Nairobi from Sri Lanka next year. By the time of your visit to Nairobi we are looking forward to conclude current talks on three agreements being discussed and to promptly sign them–they are the Bilateral Trade Agreement, agreement on Avoidance of Double Taxation, and agreement on Promotion and Protection of Bilateral Investments. Once we formalise these three instruments at government to government level, the private sectors at both ends can commence their own trade. Even on agriculture cooperation, a draft agreement is now being finalised. Our Minister of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries will be coming to Sri Lanka to sign it once it is ready. All these bilateral agreements are for stronger trade between both countries. We also need to have on-going B2B interactions and need to forge Chamber level interactions.  Sri Lankan President (HE) Mahinda Rajapaksa visited Nairobi Chamber of Commerce last year and as a result the two Chambers entered into an MoU which strengthened bilateral trade. We also saw your Chamber of Commerce in this visit and are impressed by your Chamber which was established way back in 1839. It is now time to expand business to business links between the two countries in a significant way.”

In 2013, trade between both countries stood at $13.94 Mn rising from 2012’s $12.78 Mn.  Among Sri Lanka’s exports to Kenya in 2013 were natural rubber, tyres, sacks & bags, staple fiber, tea, rice, coconut coir, and activated carbon. Trade in January-June 2014 totalled $5.86 Mn.

Kenya discovered oil and gas in 2012 and is now the ninth largest economy in Africa. In its Global Competitiveness Report 2014-‘15, the World Economic Forum listed Kenya as the sixth best among the top 10 economic performers of Africa.

“I have been given to understand that 11 November’s Joint Commission (JEC) Session discussions were successful and I am pleased” said Minister Bathiudeen, and added: “The JEC also helped to link our fruits and vegetables, construction, ceramics and leather sectors to Kenyan economy. Specially, we note your keen interest in our leather processing. We thank you for your invitation to us to Kenya’s “Tea Expo” in 2015. If you inform of your important events in your trade calendar to our EDB in advance, we would be able to facilitate even greater B2B interactions. I am pleased of Kenya Export Promotion Council’s interest to enter into an MoU with our EDB so that export and trade are facilitated starting from a higher level. Such an MoU can also facilitate joint trade delegations.”

Both (HE) Amb. Ogn and Minister Bathiudeen also discussed other avenues of bilateral cooperation on 17 November. Also taking part at the call were Anura Siriwardene (Secretary, Ministry of Industry and Commerce), Bandula Egodage (Chairman & CEO-EDB), Sujatha Weerakoone (DG-EDB) and RDS Kumararatne (DG-DoC).