A high-level discussion on the implementation of the National Export Development Plan (NEDP) 2026 - 2030 was successfully held at the Ministry of Ports and Civil Aviation on 15th September 2026, with a focus on strengthening the contribution of Sri Lanka’s ports and logistics sector to the country’s export growth.
The meeting was chaired by Hon. Anura Karunathilaka, Minister of Ports and Civil Aviation, with the participation of Mr. W.W.S. Mangala, Secretary to the Ministry of Ports and Civil Aviation, and senior officials of the Ministry. The Sri Lanka Export Development Board (EDB) was represented by Mr. Mangala Wijesinghe, Chairman; Mr. Erandika Dissanayake, Director General, Ms. Kumudinie Mudalige, Additional Director General (Development), together with other senior officials.
The NEDP was formulated by the EDB with the guidance of the Ministry of Industry and Entrepreneurship Development and technical assistance from the Asian Development Bank (ADB), following extensive consultations with public and private sector stakeholders. The NEDP provides the national framework for advancing Sri Lanka’s export development agenda, with the objective of increasing exports to US$ 36 billion by 2030, while strengthening Sri Lanka’s position as a competitive logistics and knowledge-intensive export hub serving regional and global markets.
The discussion focused on the way forward for implementing the NEDP, particularly the actions to be undertaken by the Ministry of Ports and Civil Aviation and its relevant institutions as lead implementing agencies under the Plan.
Key areas discussed included enhancing port and logistics infrastructure and services, improving trade and logistics facilitation, strengthening connectivity and efficiency in the movement of export cargo, and developing Sri Lanka’s capabilities as a regional maritime and logistics hub.
The meeting also highlighted the importance of high-level intervention, inter-agency coordination and timely implementation of identified NEDP actions. Strong collaboration among the EDB, Ministry of Ports and Civil Aviation, port-related institutions and other relevant stakeholders will be essential to translate the strategic priorities of the NEDP into measurable outcomes.
The discussion marked an important step towards strengthening institutional coordination for the implementation of the NEDP and further integrating port, maritime and logistics development with Sri Lanka’s broader export growth strategy.
Further, the EDB is also engaging with all key Ministries to discuss the implementation of the NEDP, with particular emphasis on strengthening cross-sectoral coordination and enabling effective collaboration among relevant Ministries, agencies and other stakeholders.
