Sri Lanka's Apex Organisation for Export Promotion
With the launch of Sri Lanka’s “National Export Strategy” (NES) in 2018, the Government of Sri Lanka (GoSL) along with the Sri Lanka Exports Development Board (EDB) is paving the way for the country to move towards an export-led economic strategy. The ICT/ BPM sector will be a cornerstone in this overall strategy as it aims to generate USD 5 billion in export revenue, while creating 200,000 jobs and 1,000 start-ups by 2022.
The EDB has identified BioFach as one of the best places to promote Sri Lankan organic products to the EU region and other countries. EDB in collaboration with the Sri Lanka Consulate in Frankfurt, Germany organized a national pavilion in an area of 117 s.qm at hall no 02 which was reserved for international exhibitors and most of the EU buyers visited to this hall.
Sri Lanka Institute of Nanotechnology (SLINTEC) signed a research commercialisation agreement with Dynawash Ltd. on 31 January to introduce a new natural textile dyeing technology using biomass pigments.
Representatives of the Lanka Fruit and Vegetable Producers, Processors and Exporters Association and Noberasco sign a memorandum of understanding in February 2019, marking the start of a partnership
Mr. Eric Le Corre, Corporate Vice President Public Affairs, Michelin and Ms. Nandita Khurana ,Zone Head – Legal, Michelin met the Chairperson & Chief Executive at the EDB on 7th March 2019 to explore opportunities in the tyre sector. H.E. Eric Lavertu, Ambassador of France, Mr. Herve Sarnelli, Economic Counsellor, Mr. Prabhash Subasinghe, President, SLAMERP and Mr. Ananda Caldera, Member, EDB Advisory Committee were also present at the discussion.
The Maldives International Education and Career Expo concluded on a grand scale on Saturday, March 2 at Dharubaaruge, Male’. The three-day event saw over 1,500 students and young adults visiting the exhibition. A total of 50 Institutes promoted various programs/courses at this event. Participated Institutes proudly encompassed not only from Sri Lanka but from India, Maldives, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Germany and Switzerland which made this event a ‘top-notch’ scale exhibition and the largest event in the Maldives.
The seventh seminar for the Vavuniya, Mullaitivu and Mannar District entrepreneurs on the national program of developing 2000 new exporters was held on 1 March at the Vavuniya district secretariat conference hall.
The Embassy of Sri Lanka in Brazil successfully organised a three-day trade and tourism promotional event in Sao Paulo, the commercial capital of Brazil, from 20 to 22 February. The event drew the interest of a large number of prominent Brazilian importers, trade consultants, officials of trade associations, travel journalists and travel trade industries based in Sao Paulo.
The Sri Lanka Export Development Board (EDB) is implementing a number of programmes in commemorating the International Women Day in 2019.
A meeting was convened recently by the Hon. Malik Samarawickarama, Minister of Development Strategies & International Trade (MoDSIT), to discuss the progress of the Logistics Strategy of the National Export Strategy. Mr. S T Kodikara, Secretary of MoDSIT, Mr. J M Thilakaratne Banda, Addl. Secretary of Ministry of Transport & Civil Aviation (MoTCA), Mr. Dhammika Ranatunga, Chairman – Airport & Aviation Services Ltd (AASL), Mrs. Indira Malwatte, Chairperson & CE of Sri Lanka Export Development Board(EDB), Mr. Upali de Zoysa, Addl. Managing Director of Sri Lanka Ports Authority(SLPA) participated at the meeting along with the officials from the Ministry of Ports & Shipping and Southern Development. The Minister commended the participants on their commitment to the national endeavor to implement the Logistics Sector Strategy of NES.
Over sixty Food and Beverage exporting companies from Sri Lanka successfully participated in the 24th edition of Gulf Food 2019 trade exhibition which is considered as the world's biggest Food & Drink event held annually.The exhibition was held at Dubai World Trade Centre in Dubai, UAE during 17th to 21st February from 11.00am to 7.00 pm daily.The opportunity was effectively utilized for the promotion of Ceylon Tea and food related exports from Sri Lanka to the UAE and Gulf region as well as other global markets.
The World Expo is one of the oldest and largest international events taking place every 5 years and lasting for 6 month where everyone can learn, innovate and create progress by sharing ideas and working together through a common theme. United Arab Emirates (UAE) has been selected as the host country for the forthcoming event to be held in year 2020. This World Expo will be held for a period of six months from 20th October 2020 to 10th April 2021 in Dubai under the theme “Connecting Minds, Creating the Future”. The World Expo in Dubai in 2020 will be the first to be held in the MENA & SA (Middle East and North Africa & South Asia Region.
The sixth seminar for the North Central Province entrepreneurs on the national program of developing 2000 New Exporters was held on February 22, 2019 at The Golden Mango Resort, Anuradhapura
Government in collaboration with the private sector is in the process of setting up an operation of a Business Center for Incubators and Accelerators in the Northern region in order to develop Enterprises in the Technology Sector by youth in the Northern region.
The Government of Sri Lanka (GoSL) and the Sri Lanka Exports Development Board (SLEDB) are working to uplift and transform the country’s Information & Communications Technology (ICT) and Business Process Management (BPM) sector as part of its recently launched National Export Strategy (NES).
The National Export Strategy (NES) is progressing in the right direction. It has six focused areas and is expected to provide the impetus for the export drive supporting economic growth, Chairperson of the Export Development Board (EDB), Indira Malwatte said.
UAE is blessed with a strategic location between the East and West, which makes it accessible to major emerging economies, linking shipping routes and facilitating goods' transportation between the various regions in Middle East, Asia, Europe and Africa. Understanding the preciousness of the location, the business community has launched GULFOOD Food & Beverage exhibition in 1987 in Dubai and the exhibition has grown to promote F&B trade between more than 180 countries annually. In 2018 Gulfood set records with 97,000 visitors attending and over 5000 companies from over 185 different countries exhibiting their products.
Sri Lanka needs to make greater efforts to get into the US market using the United States Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) scheme as a tool while ensuring that buyers are aware of GSP, said Dr. Fredrik Leuhusen from the School of Management at the University of California, Los Angeles.
Sri Lankan Wellness Tourism sector delegation has successfully concluded the participation at Arab Health Exhibition & Congress from 28-31 January 2019 by generating average 100-120 initial business contacts and out of which 75 are potential conversions. All the companies have had successful business contacts with the Travel Agents and other relevant organizations. Most of the Arab Clients have requested short holiday packages average for three four days which will be cost effective and companies are in the process of designing the packages to the identified clients. Delegation has showcased the best offerings of the Sri Lanka Wellness Tourism sector to the Arab clients & most of the travel agents and it was revealed that there is a huge potential for Sri Lanka to promote Wellness Tourism.
Most of the Sri Lankan firms participating at the world’s largest consumer goods fair Ambiente 2019 in Frankfurt, Germany, expressed confidence over prospects to win more orders.
