The Embassy of Sri Lanka in Rome, in collaboration with the Rome Chamber of Commerce and the Export Development Board (EDB), co-hosted a virtual business promotion meeting on 8 July 2026, bringing together prospective Italian exporters and investors to strengthen eco-nomic ties and explore new opportunities for collaboration between Sri Lanka and Italy.

The meeting served as an important platform for fostering dialogue on trade, investment, tour-ism, and aviation, the creative industries, and small and medium enterprise development, reaffirming the shared commitment of both countries to expanding bilateral economic cooperation.

The programme commenced with welcome remarks by the Ambassador of Sri Lanka to Italy Satya Rodrigo, who highlighted the strong growth of trade between both countries under-scored the importance of sustained institutional engagement in promoting stronger commercial and   investment partnerships between Sri Lanka and Italy. The Ambassador invited Rome Chamber of Commerce to organise a delegation to the Expo 2027. 

President (Development & Territory) of the Rome Chamber of Commerce Micaela Pallini, reaffirmed the Chamber’s commitment to strengthening business relations with Sri Lanka and expressed interest in facilitating greater engagement between the Italian and Sri Lankan private sectors.

Chairman of the Sri Lanka Export Development Board Mangala Wijesinghe, delivered a comprehensive presentation on Sri Lanka’s export sector, highlighting the country’s competi-tive advantages, emerging trade and investment opportunities, and preparations for Expo 2027. Participants were briefed on Sri Lanka’s growing potential as a regional hub for trade, manufacturing, services, and investment.

The investment potential of Sri Lanka’s cinema industry generated particular interest among the Italian business community, highlighting new avenues for creative and economic collabo-ration. Chairman of the National Film Corporation of Sri Lanka Sudath Mahaadivulwewa, highlighted the country’s diverse filming locations, and prospects for international collabora-tions. He also outlined several investment opportunities within the sector that could be ex-plored by Italian partners, including the support for the establishment of a film school in Sri Lanka, the expansion of cinema infrastructure through the construction of new cinema halls, and the upgrading of e-cinema facilities to 2K digital standards.

Addressing the aviation sector, Regional Manager (Europe & Americas) of Sri Lankan Airlines Chinthaka Weerasinghe, outlined opportunities to enhance connectivity and strengthen cooperation in support of tourism, trade, and business exchanges between the two countries.

Honorary President of CNA World Indra Perera highlighted that many Italian companies are already active in South Asia and encouraged businesses to leverage Sri Lanka’s strategic loca-tion as a gateway to the wider South Asian market.

The presentations were followed by an interactive Q & A session, during which participants exchanged views on practical initiatives to deepen bilateral cooperation, promote business-to-business partnerships, and strengthen institutional collaboration across priority sectors.

The successful conclusion of the virtual meeting marked another significant step in strengthen-ing the longstanding friendship between Sri Lanka and Italy in the economic sector while ex-ploring new opportunities for trade & investments through closer collaboration between the two countries.

Embassy of Sri Lanka 
Rome

13 July 2026