Sri Lanka's Apex Organisation for Export Promotion
On December 27, 2024, His Excellency Ruben Gauci, High Commissioner of the Republic of Malta to India and Sri Lanka, met with Mr. Mangala Wijesinghe, Chairman and CEO of the Sri Lanka Export Development Board (EDB), at the EDB premises to discuss ways to enhance bilateral trade relations between Malta and Sri Lanka. Mr. Shano Sabar, Honorary Consul of the Republic of Malta to Sri Lanka, and senior EDB officials also attended the meeting.
A delegation from CEAT, an RPG India company, led by Managing Director and CEO Mr. Arnab Banerjee, met with Mr. Mangala Wijesinghe, Chairman and CEO of the Sri Lanka Export Development Board (EDB), recently at the EDB Head Office in Colombo.
The Export Development Board (EDB) successfully conducted a networking and knowledge sharing session for the women entrepreneurs registered under the “Women Entrepreneurship Development Program” recently at the EDB-NDB Tower, Colombo 02. The event addressed one of the key barriers faced by women entrepreneurs, lack of networking opportunities with industry leaders.
The Sri Lanka Export Development Board (EDB), in collaboration with the Sri Lanka Automotive Component Manufacturers Association (SLACMA) and Technobiz Lanka, successfully conducted a two-day workshop on Dry Rubber Compounding Technology and Plant Management. The event, held on December 20–21, 2024, at the EDB headquarters, aimed to enhance the skills and knowledge of technical professionals in the rubber manufacturing industry, including those serving the automotive sector.
In a significant development for Sri Lanka’s Fair trade sector, a stakeholders' meeting was recently held in Colombo in December 2024, organized by the Export Development Board (EDB) and the Fairtrade Network of Asia Pacific Producers (NAPP), Sri Lanka. The meeting aimed to discuss the main projects currently executing, future of Fairtrade in Sri Lanka, issues pertaining to the sector and its expanding international presence.
Total exports for November 2024, including both merchandise and services, were recorded at US$ 1,269.33 million, reflecting a marginal increase of 0.04% compared to the same period in 2023.
The Sri Lanka Export Development Board (EDB) in collaboration with the Embassy of Sri Lanka in France, successfully organized Sri Lanka's participation at SIAL Paris 2024 - one of the world’s leading F & B exhibitions held once every two years in France - which took place from 19th to 23rd October, 2024, in Paris.
Australian High Commissioner in Sri Lanka H.E. Paul Stephens and his team met Mr. Mangala Wijesinghe, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of EDB to strengthen bilateral trade relations between Australia and Sri Lanka.
From December 16th to December 19th, ITC's GTEX Project in Sri Lanka, funded by the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO), held a training-of-trainers session followed by a training workshop on Circular Economy Business Models for the Textile and Clothing Industry.
The Sri Lanka Export Development Board (EDB), in collaboration with the Sri Lanka Embassy in Thailand, the Sri Lanka Automobile Component Manufacturers Association (SLACMA), and the Thai-Sri Lanka Chamber of Commerce, organized an exposure and study tour to Thailand for Sri Lankan automotive exporters and manufacturers.
The Sri Lanka Export Development Board (EDB) and the International Trade Centre (ITC) co-organized a series of factory visits as part of the UK-Sri Lanka Trade Mission under the SheTrades Commonwealth+ Programme.
National Packaging Centre (NPC) of the EDB was established for the promotion and development of the Packaging industry in Sri Lanka. It supports a wide range of stakeholders, including exporters, manufacturers, designers, SMEs, women entrepreneurs, students, and research institutions. By fostering collaboration among the government bodies and other partners, the NPC is playing a vital role in advancing Sri Lanka’s packaging industry and supporting sustainable growth in the agricultural export sector.
The United Kingdom (UK)-Sri Lanka Trade Mission, co-organized by the International Trade Centre (ITC) and the Sri Lanka Export Development Board (EDB), successfully concluded its Jaffna program on 04th December 2024. This initiative highlighted the export potential of women-led businesses in Sri Lanka, particularly in the Northern region.
The Sri Lanka Export Development Board (EDB) is committed to promote global trade and facilitate the interests of exporters. In this pursuit, EDB actively seeks new markets and opportunities for technical collaborations, particularly through partnerships with international organizations. One such collaboration is with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), focused on expanding Sri Lanka's ICT/BPM sector by introducing local tech companies to the Japanese market. This partnership aims to foster knowledge exchange and collaboration that goes beyond immediate economic benefits.
The United Kingdom (UK)-Sri Lanka Trade Mission, part of the UK Government-funded SheTrades Commonwealth+ Programme, is connecting 13 UK companies with 45 Sri Lankan women entrepreneurs on 02nd – 06th December 2024.
As per the provisional data released by the Sri Lanka Customs, the merchandise export performance in October 2024 amounted to US$ 1,097.1 million, recorded an increase of 18.22 % compared to the month of October 2023. This was mainly due to the increase in earnings from export of Apparel & Textiles, Tea, Rubber based products, Coconut based products and Spices & Concentrates.
In a strategic move to bolster Sri Lanka’s exports and enhance the international competitiveness of SMEs in Sri Lanka, Sri Lanka Export Development Board (EDB) signed a cooperation agreement with International Finance Corporation (IFC) launching the Sri Lanka Export Excellence Initiative (SLEEI).
Sri Lanka Embassy in Brussels participated at the European Parliament ‘Fair-Trade Breakfast-2024’, on 13th November 2024, highlighting Sri Lanka as one of the best ethical and sustainable sourcing destinations in the world.
The Embassy and Permanent Mission of Sri Lanka in Thailand, in collaboration with the Sri Lanka Export Development Board (EDB) organized Sri Lanka's participation at the Thailand Smart City Expo 2024, held from 06th - 08th November 2024 in Bangkok.
