Representatives of the private sector in the South Asian region were to meet in Colombo yesterday (28) at the first South Asia Economic Summit to discuss several key issues pertaining to the SAARC region. 

The representatives of the private sector in the region including academics, economists and corporate heads are tol meet government representatives and officials of the official regional organization SAARC in the four day summit, Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.

Managing the food prices crisis, oil price hike, transport issues and integration, bolstering the South Asia Free Trade Agreement (SAFTA), trading in services, improving trade facilitation in the region and liberalizing investments, energy issues and how integration can help and strengthening the SAARC process will be the key issues that will be deliberated during the summit.

Promoting tourism, bilateral trade agreements, the ICT sector, issues of weaker economies in the region and labour migration will be tackled in parallel sessions which will be held throughout the three day summit.

(Courtesy : Department of Information )