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Sri Lanka plans to use this month's Commonwealth summit to achieve its social justice goals through economic development and hopes to attract an increased flow of foreign direct investment (FDI).
"We set out to gain maximum benefit to the country from the historic event that is CHOGM (Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting)," Lankan External Affairs Minister G L Peiris told a gathering today in the central town of Kandy.
The biennial conference is to be held here between November 15 and 17.
Peiris said Sri Lanka has centred its focus on the Commonwealth Business Forum, a side-event.
Colombo has invited countries outside the Commonwealth to attend the business forum.
Commonwealth has 53 member nations but there will be 65 countries taking part in the business forum, Peiris said.
"There will be a flow of foreign investment to the country as a result", he said.
The CHOGM is set to take place amid calls for international probe over alleged human rights abuses against Sri Lankan troops for their conduct in the battle against the LTTE.
The Prime Minister of Canada, a leading Commonwealth nation, is staying away from attending the summit over concerns on rights accountability.
