Work together for a developed and sustainable future – Dr. Bandula Gunawardhana

The 15th Asia Regional Environmentally Sustainable Transport Forum and first Asia Pacific Rail Summit is currently being held in Malaysia. Addressing the session on the second day of the conference, Minister of Transport, Highways and Mass Media, Dr. Bandula Gunawardhana made comments on behalf of Sri Lanka.

“The promotion of trade and investment relations has been identified as a key component to further develop physical connectivity between South and Southeast Asian countries. Sri Lanka’s regional connectivity is mainly centred on the main port of Colombo, which is a trans-shipment hub in South Asia. As a result, special attention has been given in infrastructure development in order to develop the capacity of the Colombo Port.

Although significant progress has been made in terms of physical infrastructure, Sri Lanka’s trade and investment relations have been slow to strengthen.

Therefore, special attention should be paid to develop regional cooperation through the development of infrastructure and implementation of a more strategic trade policy by strengthening the country’s institutional and regulatory framework with the participation of the private sector.

It is planned to declare 2024 as the year of e-mobility in Sri Lanka.

Along with expanding the production and use of renewable energy in Sri Lanka, efforts are currently being made to prepare a strategic plan to promote the use of electric vehicles. Electric and electronic vehicles, which have many benefits over traditional fossil fuels, are currently becoming rapidly popular in Sri Lanka. They have many benefits such as cost reduction, high efficiency and environmental sustainability.

The approval of the Sri Lankan Council of Ministers to prepare a strategic plan to create the necessary background for promoting the import and use of electric vehicles has also been received.

In this context, the Ministry of Transport and Highways is taking the lead in formulating national policies on e-mobility and UNESCAP is providing the necessary technical support for policy formulation.

Sri Lanka is also working to improve the public transport system around the main cities of the country. Sri Lanka has so far made significant progress in developing physical infrastructure in sectors such as roads, ports and airports.

The projects carried out for infrastructure development in Sri Lanka will have a special contribution to the rapid and effective increase of regional connectivity, increase of export income and overall economic growth.

The most prominent infrastructure development project currently underway in the country is the expansion of Colombo Port. It handles over 95 percent of the cargo transported through Sri Lanka’s ports and plays a unique role in servicing the South Asian region. Other infrastructure development projects include the construction and expansion of new highways to contribute to the priority goals of improving internal logistics for freight and expanding tourism. Special attention has also been given to developing the capacity of Sri Lanka’s main international airport. A better network of infrastructure such as roads, ports and airports can reduce running costs and delays. I believe that there will be a great contribution to many sectors of the economy in order to raise the overall efficiency.

It is essential to improve the physical connectivity of infrastructure and the smooth relationship of technology, standards, rules and operations in both sectors for win-win development. This will enable the development of seamless transport networks as well as encourage technological innovation.

Sri Lanka is particularly looking forward to establishing strong cooperation and foundation with countries and organizations in the region for the development of various sectors including transport, energy, water resources and information technology. Through mutually agreed cooperation, we can open a new path for further strong economic growth and development.

In line with the theme of “Connectivity in an Open Global Economy”, infrastructural connectivity and cooperation between partner countries should be further promoted to foster a prosperous global economy. Fostering dialogue and cooperation, ensuring transparency, promoting sustainable practices, and creating a more conducive environment for investment and trade are critical to this end.

“I believe that by working together we can build a brighter future with the benefits of more sustainable development and a more connected world.”

Organized by the International Union of Railways, the United Nations Regional Development Centre, the Malaysian Ministry of Transport and the Government, the Asian Development Bank, this conference will be held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia until the 26th of this month with the participation of a large number of representatives from many countries of the world.

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