The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce has extended its congratulations to Anura Kumara Dissanayake on his election as the 9th President of Sri Lanka. In a statement released shortly after the election, the Chamber emphasized the importance of respecting the electoral outcome and urged all parties to maintain peace and public order, reinforcing the nation’s commitment to democratic principles.
The Chamber also expressed gratitude to former President Ranil Wickremesinghe for his leadership during a tumultuous period, highlighting his efforts in achieving debt sustainability and economic stability.
Commending the Election Commission for overseeing a peaceful and transparent electoral process, the Ceylon Chamber looks forward to collaborative efforts under President Dissanayake to develop effective growth strategies that benefit the populace.
In alignment with both the new President’s manifesto and the Chamber’s Vision 2030 document, the statement outlined ten priority areas for the new administration to focus on within the first six months:
- External Debt Restructuring: Building on recent agreements with commercial creditors and continuing the IMF program.
- Revenue Collection: Implementing changes in expenditure backed by credible revenue proposals without overburdening taxpayers.
- Visa on Arrival: Addressing the visa on arrival issue swiftly to facilitate travel and tourism.
- Digital Infrastructure: Advancing Digital Public Infrastructure and Digital ID initiatives.
- Trade Facilitation: Committing to the National Single Window for Trade to streamline processes and enhance efficiency.
- Reform Delivery: Establishing a National Implementation Oversight Committee to ensure timely delivery of reforms.
- Legislative Implementation: Enacting crucial legislation, including the Economic Transformation Act and Public Debt Management Act.
- Private Sector Engagement: Avoiding ad-hoc regulations that disrupt private sector operations and ensuring stakeholder consultations.
- Governance Action Plan: Implementing the Government Action Plan based on the IMF Governance Diagnostic Assessment.
- Trade Agreements: Resuming negotiations for trade agreements with China, India, and Indonesia.
The Ceylon Chamber reaffirmed its commitment to support President Dissanayake in transforming Sri Lanka into a developed economy, ensuring productive engagement as the nation navigates its path forward.
