The Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Employment, Arun Hemachandra, who was on an official visit to Romania, addressed members of the Bucharest Chamber of Commerce and Industry on 22 October 2026.
The Bucharest Chamber of Commerce and Industry is the oldest and largest regional chamber of commerce in Romania. It represents businesses in Bucharest, which accounts for approximately one-fifth of all registered Romanian companies, and facilitates domestic and international trade. The Chamber maintains several overseas offices and recently opened an office in Colombo.
During his address, Deputy Minister Hemachandra stated that Sri Lanka and Romania enjoyed a longstanding and increasingly dynamic relationship, with labour mobility emerging as a relatively recent dimension of bilateral ties. However, he noted that economic cooperation between the two countries extended beyond labour mobility.
He stated that the current level of trade between Sri Lanka and Romania did not reflect the full potential of their economies. In 2025, Sri Lanka exported goods worth approximately USD 9.84 million to Romania, while imports from Romania amounted to approximately USD 32.81 million. He highlighted the potential to diversify Sri Lanka’s exports to Romania and increase Romanian exports to Sri Lanka, particularly in sectors where Romania had strong industrial and technological capabilities.
Emphasising the transformative role of investment, Deputy Minister Hemachandra stated that Sri Lanka was seeking quality foreign investment that brought technology, knowledge, skills, employment and integration into international value chains. He encouraged Romanian companies to explore investment opportunities in Sri Lanka in tourism and hospitality, renewable energy, information and communication technology, digital services, logistics, maritime services, manufacturing, industrial partnerships, agriculture and food processing.
He particularly emphasised that Sri Lanka was not merely a market of 22 million people but also a gateway to a wider economic region. Located at the centre of the Indian Ocean, Sri Lanka offered Romanian companies access to fast-growing markets, a skilled workforce, modern connectivity and strategic links to the region.
Deputy Minister Hemachandra invited the Bucharest Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Romanian business associations, investors, exporters, importers and individual companies to participate in Sri Lanka EXPO 2027, the country’s premier international trade exhibition, which will be held in Colombo from 14 to 17 January 2027. The exhibition will provide a platform for connecting Sri Lankan exporters with international buyers and investors.
The event highlighted opportunities for bilateral cooperation, particularly in expanding employment in transport, road construction and hospitality. Potential cooperation in tourism, agriculture and the digital economy was also discussed. Participants further explored trade partnerships to enhance export opportunities, particularly for agricultural products, mechanical tools and rubber goods. The Embassy of Sri Lanka in Bucharest will follow up on these proposals and facilitate coordination with the relevant national agencies and trade ministries.
Embassy of Sri Lanka
Bucharest
23 October 2026
