Colombo Port City Today: Where the Project Stands and What Comes Next | Echelon

Colombo Port City is building momentum. With 250 businesses registered, $3.5 billion invested and secured, and according to PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), a potential $13 billion annual contribution to GDP once complete. Hanif Yusoof, Harsha Amarasekera, and Thulci Aluwihare, share what is already happening inside Sri Lanka's most ambitious development project, and what comes next. Chapters 00:00 - 01:04 Preamble 01:05 - 01:57 Guest introductions 01:58 - 04:12 Gov. Yusoof on Colombo Port City as Sri Lanka's gateway for FDI 04:13 - 06:05 Chairman Amarasekara on Colombo Port City's ownership & government commitment 06:06 - 08:54 Chairman Amarasekara on Colombo Port City's vision as a service & financial hub 08:55 - 10:36 Thulci Aluwihare on Colombo Port City's strategic location & cost advantage in South Asia 10:37 - 13:10 Thulci Aluwihare on types of investors and momentum picking up at Colombo Port City 13:11 - 15:49 Gov. Yusoof on Colombo Port City's one-stop shop model & total government backing 15:50 - 19:43 Chairman Amarasekara on clearing misconceptions about the Colombo Port City act & investment thresholds 19:44 - 22:55 Chairman Amarasekara on Colombo Port City as the Switzerland of South Asia & a complement to DIFC and Singapore 22:56 - 25:11 Thulci Aluwihare on targeting key global markets & turning investor interest into real commitments 25:12 - 28:24 Chairman Amarasekara on Colombo Port City's growing ecosystem & Sri Lanka's quality of life as a key selling point 28:25 - 30:45 Chairman Amarasekara on updated tax incentives & Colombo Port City's welcome to both startups and established firms 30:46 - 35:24 Gov. Yusoof on Colombo Port City's spillover benefits to Sri Lanka's economy & its role as a gateway for local businesses 35:25 - 40:54 Chairman Amarasekara on building trust through rigorous due diligence & AML safeguards at Colombo Port City 40:55 - 41:36 Gov. Yusoof on the new administration's commitment to continuity & speed in doing business 41:37 - 43:30 Thulci Aluwihare on Colombo Port City as a ring-fenced zone to rebuild investor confidence in Sri Lanka 43:31 - 45:15 Thulci Aluwihare on Colombo Port City's $15 billion master plan & its projected $13 billion annual GDP contribution 45:16 - 45:48 Gov. Yusoof on how stakeholder alignment between government, commission & CHEC is now a reality 45:49 - 46:55 Gov. Yusoof on Colombo Port City's spillover benefits to local businesses, SMEs & Colombo at large 46:56 - 51:36 Chairman Amarasekara on Colombo Port City's hidden economic ripple effects on the broader Sri Lankan economy 51:37 - 55:26 Thulci Aluwihare on attracting tech, fintech & financial services to Colombo Port City's clean slate ecosystem 55:27 - 58:04 Gov. Yusoof on Sri Lanka's talent strategy; training locals, bringing back the diaspora & opening doors 58:05 - 01:01:22 Closing remarks: policy stability, a full-service marina & Colombo Port City as a generational cornerstone 01:01:23 - 01:03:52 Closing remarks: from seed capital to South Asia's most sought-after hub in 10 years 01:03:53 - end Closing remarks: come explore, invest & join the Switzerland of South Asia before the curve hits its peak An Echelon brand partnership with Colombo Port City