The Hon. Ruwan Wijeweera

¶ 01 Hon. Deputy Chairperson of Committees, the “Agreement on Investment Promotion and Mutual Protection between Sri Lanka and the United Arab Emirates,” presented under the Constitution, is an important agreement for our economy and future trajectory. It will help attract investments to key sectors and drive growth.

¶ 02 Before that, let me briefly respond to the previous Member who claimed public servants are afraid and unwilling to work. That is not true. We work closely with public servants. They now say they can stand upright and work without fear—no more top-down “orders” culture. Decisions taken in good faith for economic and social progress are not being challenged. What is challenged are bad-faith decisions taken to misappropriate public funds. Those now in custody are there because of corrupt decisions that looted public money, not for acting in good faith.

¶ 03 Today, the country is a work site. At Divisional Secretariat level, officials are engaged on the ground. In my own DS division, projects worth Rs. 1,200 million are underway. Officials report back with feedback. There is no environment of fear. We invite the public service to be proud partners in implementing pro-investment policies.

¶ 04 As for this agreement, let me cite uaestories.com: “The first objective of the agreement is to facilitate greater investment between Sri Lanka and the UAE,” focusing on infrastructure, technology, manufacturing, and tourism, leveraging our strategic Indian Ocean location and natural resources to create a dynamic business environment.

¶ 05 It aims to create a favourable investment climate by simplifying business registration, ensuring investor protection, and enhancing the legal framework for investment. Former administrations chased investors away—demanding commissions, scrapping projects like the Light Rail Transit, and creating an anti-investment climate. We are reversing that, building an investor-friendly environment and sound legal architecture.

¶ 06 Critically, “This will be particularly beneficial for Sri Lanka, which is focusing on rebuilding its economy following a period of financial crisis and instability.” Coming out of bankruptcy, attracting FDI is vital.

¶ 07 On outcomes: in the first seven months, export revenue exceeded USD 10 billion—the highest for any government’s first seven months. Remittances exceeded USD 5 billion, up around 20%, because expatriates trust this corruption-free, law-governed environment. FDIs have increased by over 100%. Across the board—public servants, businesses, investors, politicians—people are working together to rebuild. Let us stop sowing confusion and give support to this national journey. Thank you.