We extend our sincere gratitude to His Excellency President Anura Kumara Dissanayake for his leadership, and to the negotiating team led by Dr. Harshana Suriyapperuma, Secretary to the Treasury, for their pragmatic and sustained engagement since the initial tariff announcement in April.
Their tireless efforts throughout this complex process have been instrumental in achieving a fair and competitive outcome for Sri Lankan exporters.
We also wish to acknowledge the invaluable role played by His Excellency Mahinda Samarasinghe, Ambassador of Sri Lanka to the United States, and the Sri Lankan Embassy in Washington, D.C.
Their ongoing diplomatic engagement and advocacy were pivotal in facilitating constructive dialogue with U.S. stakeholders.
The revised tariff rate brings Sri Lanka into closer alignment with other leading apparel-exporting nations in the region—including Bangladesh, Cambodia, Vietnam, Indonesia, and Pakistan—thereby ensuring a more level playing field and preserving the competitiveness of Sri Lanka’s apparel industry in the key US markets.
JAAF remains firmly committed to working in close partnership with the Government of Sri Lanka and our counterparts in the United States to promote ethical labor practices, environmental sustainability, and innovation in apparel manufacturing.
We are confident that these shared values, combined with continued diplomatic engagement, will contribute to deeper bilateral trade relations, and pave the way for further tariff reductions in the future.