By Maheesha Mudugamuwa
The Italian government is ready to support Sri Lanka’s fisheries industry.
At a meeting with Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Development Minister Rajitha Senaratne recently, at the Ministry, Ambassador for Italy in Sri Lanka and the Maldives Fabrizio Piopo Arpea said Italy would provide technical know-how for Sri Lankan fishing and leisure boat manufacturing.
Setting up a boat manufacturing company in Sri Lanka with Italian support was discussed. They also discussed several other bilateral issues of mutual interest affecting both countries.
"Sri Lanka is grateful to Italy for continued support it receives from the European friend, specially during Sri Lanka’s tough times. Our country is also keen on the support given to the transfer of technology from Italy to the Sri Lankan fisheries industry. It will greatly benefit our fisheries industry, which plays a vital role in the economy of Sri Lanka, contributing around 1.2 percent to the GDP," Dr. Senaratne said.
"Sri Lanka had been the beneficiary of Italian assistance for a long time and would never forget how Italy stood by us during tough times. Italy – Sri Lanka trade cooperation was strong and had been on the increase except for 2009," he said.
Dr. Senaratne said with the aim of making Sri Lanka the Wonder of Asia, a large number of development programmes such as airports, harbours, power plants, bridges and expressways had been built countrywide.
He said "The manufacturing of a research vessel will provide a great service in research activities in the seas off the Sri Lankan coast. It will boost ocean research, research on fish and water changing patterns and research on the seabed. As such the National Aquatic Resources Research and Development Authority (NARA) will be able to complete its research in the near future."
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