ISLAMABAD (APP) - Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) will hold an International Investors Conference for the promotion and enhancement of investment and trade ties between Pakistan and participating countries including Sri Lanka. The conference will be held in collaboration with the Pakistan Board of Investment here, from December 9 to 11 under the theme Discover the Business Potential of Pakistan. The objective of the meeting is to build and strengthen effective public-private partnership mechanisms for capacity building, through enhanced networking, entrepreneurial mentorship and information exchange between and among trade policy-makers, investment promotion agencies, relevant multilateral organizations, research and academic institutions as well as private sector partners. The policy of the Government on foreign investment and trade would be highlighted, including Privatization and Regulatory Programme, said a statement issued here on Thursday. Pakistan is the 2nd largest trading partner of Sri Lanka within the South Asian region. Sri Lanka was the first country to sign a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with Pakistan. Under FTA, Sri Lanka and Pakistan have agreed to offer preferential market access to each others' exports by way of granting tariff concessions. The level of bilateral trade between Pakistan and Sri Lanka increased as a result of the Free Trade Agreement (FTA). Trade between the two countries increased from US$ 150 million to over US$ 300 million during the last three years, as it doubled within a short period of time with the positive support gained from the FTA. It is expected that a large number of key personalities from Sri Lanka and other parts of the globe and dignitaries, businessmen, industrialists, investors, UN Agencies, International Organizations, Banks and Financial Institutions would attend the Forum. The event will give the participating countries an opportunity and a platform for economic and business activities that will engage them in commercial dialogue, networking with their counterparts from Pakistan for exchanging views on current economic trends and establishing business relationships with a wide spectrum of industries for advancing trade-led economic growth. The International Investors Conference shall provide a unique business gathering for region-wide business networking, partnership building and dialogue among the Pakistan business community, Government, Civil Society, Banks and Financial Institutions and their foreign counterparts on how to create an enabling environment for sustainable business growth. Sri Lanka and Pakistan have also signed the Bilateral Investment treaty in December 1997, which came into force in January 2000 after ratification. In addition a memorandum of understanding between Board of Investment Pakistan and Board of Investment Sri Lanka has also been signed in February 2007 for strengthening of cooperation in all the sectors of investment of both countries.