Sri Lanka's ambassador to Belgium, Luxembourg and European Union Ravinatha Ariyasinha was quoted as saying that the link builds on a successful business forum in Colombo on November 2010 with 40 Belgian companies.
Two-way trade between Sri Lanka and Belgium had grown from 501 million US dollars in 2005 to 645 million in 2010. Trade had peaked in 2009 to 743 million but is now recovering from a dip to 624 million dollars in 2009 amid an economic downturn.
In 2010 Sri Lanka had exported 386 million dollars worth of goods to Belgium and Imported 645 million dollars.
Cut and polished diamonds had accounted for 58 percent of total imports from Sri Lank in 2010, followed by Apparel (23 percent) rubber products, mainly rubber gloves (7 percent) rubber tires (5 percent) tea (3 percent) and others (4 percent.).
R D S Kumaratne who heads the mission's economic and commercial affairs says Belgium could be used as a transit hub for the EU.
There was a demand for bicycles, vehicle accessories, spices, toys, footwear, garden decor, gems and jewellery, wood and coconut products.
Madhuka Wickramarachchi, second secretary says Belgian tourist arrivals to Sri Lanka grew by 228 percent in the six months to June 2011 and charter and regular flights between the two countries had increased.
"Belgium is increasingly becoming one of the key suppliers of high end tourists to Sri Lanka," Wickramarachchi was quoted as saying.
"Also the Belgian firms are also keen to have their meetings and conferences in Sri Lanka."
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