The Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to Sri Lanka, Bonnie Horbach, stated that if Sri Lanka improves its social standards, the island nation could gain a competitive advantage over other countries in the region when expanding trade in value-added products with European markets.
 
Speaking on Ada Derana’s current affairs program ‘@HydePark’, the Dutch Ambassador elaborated that European countries are willing to pay higher prices for goods that meet their ethical practices standards.
 
Commenting on the recent return of Sri Lankan colonial-era artifacts looted by the Dutch, the Ambassador noted that Netherlands would continue to collaborate with Sri Lanka to conduct further research and foster a deeper understanding of the historical relationship between the two nations.
 
Speaking further on the future of Netherlands – Sri Lanka ties, the Ambassador noted that the Netherlands is the seventh biggest exporter for Sri Lanka, adding that the country should look at where Sri Lanka can play a significant role.
 
She added that Sri Lanka’s social sector and standards are better in the region, stating, “We want better products and are willing to pay more…Sri Lanka can get a competitive advantage going forward”

Watch the full program above.