H.E. Prof. M.D. Lamawansa, Ambassador of Sri Lanka in the Russian Federation together with Ms. Thavishya Mullegamgoda, first secretary (Commercial) and Ms. Olessya Romanova, interpreter of Sri Lanka Embassy in Russia met the president, Mr. Andrey Besedin, vice-president, Mr. Kozlov Mikhail and few other representatives of the Ural Chamber of Commerce & Industry on 07th July 2021 at the premises of the Ural Chamber in Ekaterinburg, Russia.

Welcoming the Sri Lankan delegation, Mr. Andrey Besedin, president of the Ural Chamber briefly gave an overview of the Ural Chamber of Commerce & Industry which is one of the oldest chambers in Russia, comprising more than 800 enterprises of Ekaterinburg and the Sverdlovsk region in Russian Federation engaged in different activities. The Chamber is one of the biggest organizations uniting representatives of the Urals business community. The president of the Ural chamber mentioned that the chamber is closely working with the government of the Sverdlovsk Region of Russia and he emphasized the importance of establishing a Hon. Consul post for Sri Lanka in Ural region in Russia enabling to actively carryout promotional activities in the region. The Ural Chamber has further emphasized that member companies established in the Sverdlovsk region are performing well in energy sector, electricity, steel & metal industry, water purification, pharmaceutical & medical equipment, machinery sector, IT sector etc.
Ambassador Prof. M.D. Lamawansa mentioned about the development of Sri Lanka – Russian Federation relations of friendship both in bilateral and international arena. He further mentioned that the purposes of the visit to the Ural Chamber are to identify contacts in the Ural region to improve business links between the two countries, identify common areas for mutual cooperation, identify methods and framework for cooperation and identify impediments if any. Sri Lankan delegation discussed extensively about potential trade and investment opportunities in various sectors including apparel, rubber-based products, IT enabled services, tourism & hospitality sector, agriculture-based products & food processing, medical devices and pharmaceutical manufacturing, electronics & electrical industry, logistics, infrastructure development etc. available in Sri Lanka for companies based in the Sverdlovsk Region of Russia.
Both sides agreed to exchange information on sector-wise trade and investment opportunities available in both countries enabling to establish mutual business cooperation between companies in Sri Lanka and the Ural region of Russia in future. The Ural chamber has requested the Sri Lankan side to connect the chamber with a suitable business promotional organization in Sri Lanka to expand business links between Sri Lanka and the Sverdlovsk Region of Russia in future by arranging business promotional programmes, inward/outward business delegations and B2B programmes in selected sectors for mutual benefits.