Sri Lanka and Pakistan reaffirmed their longstanding economic partnership and agreed to deepen cooperation across key growth sectors at the 13th Session of the Sri Lanka–Pakistan Joint Economic Commission (JEC), held in Colombo on Wednesday, 28 January 2026.
The high-level meeting brought together senior political leaders and officials from both countries, underscoring renewed momentum in bilateral relations and a shared commitment to expanding trade, investment, and sectoral collaboration.
The Sri Lankan delegation was led by Hon. Wasantha Samarasinghe, Minister of Trade, Commerce, Food Security and Co-operative Development, while the Pakistani delegation was headed by Hon. Haroon Akhtar Khan, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister for Industries and Production of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. The session marked the first high-level official visit from Pakistan under Sri Lanka’s present Government, lending added significance to the discussions.
Opening the session, Minister Samarasinghe warmly welcomed the Pakistani delegation and highlighted the deep-rooted friendship between the two countries, founded on mutual respect, trust, and cooperation. He recalled Pakistan’s support to Sri Lanka during challenging periods and reaffirmed Sri Lanka’s commitment to further strengthening economic ties, particularly through trade and investment.
Emphasizing the already existing strong trade relationship between the two countries, bolstered by the pioneering Pakistan–Sri Lanka Free Trade Agreement, and Pakistan’s role as a key trading partner within the SAARC region, the Hon. Minister expressed confidence that enhanced cooperation would unlock new opportunities for mutual benefit.
During the meeting, the two sides reviewed cooperation across a broad range of sectors, including trade and investment, industry, agriculture and livestock, banking and finance, education, science and technology, health, tourism, IT and the digital economy, maritime affairs, fisheries, air services, customs cooperation, defence production, taxation, information, and culture.
Both delegations acknowledged the significant untapped potential in bilateral trade and emphasized the need to promote sustainable growth through innovation, technology transfer, stronger institutional linkages, and enhanced private-sector engagement. The delegations also emphasized fostering closer collaboration among business councils, chambers of commerce, SMEs, and relevant public and private institutions.
The meeting also highlighted the importance of effective follow-up and timely implementation of agreed decisions. In this regard, both sides welcomed the establishment of joint working groups and sector-specific committees to advance cooperation where necessary.
The session concluded in a cordial and constructive atmosphere, reflecting the shared commitment of Sri Lanka and Pakistan to deepen economic cooperation and partnership for mutual prosperity. The signing of the Agreed Minutes reaffirmed both countries’ resolve to advance collaboration across the identified sectors.
Both sides hailed future sessions of the Joint Economic Commission as timely and forward-looking platforms to elevate Sri Lanka–Pakistan economic cooperation to new heights.
The high-level session was followed by technical-level discussions, led by Mr. K.A. Vimalenthirarajah, Secretary of the Ministry of Trade, Commerce, Food Security and Co-operative Development for Sri Lanka, and Mr. Jawad Paul, Federal Secretary, Ministry of Commerce, and Ms. Sabina Qureshi, Additional Secretary, for Pakistan. The Department of Commerce of Sri Lanka, as the focal point for the Joint Committee, organized the Session.
30 January 2026
Department of Commerce
