Sri Lanka's Apex Organisation for Export Promotion
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs hosted the diplomatic community consisting of commercial counsellors and honorary consuls of foreign missions to Sri Lanka for a briefing on the World Export Development Forum (WEDF) 2016 to be held in Colombo on 12-13 October.
The meeting was led by Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Harsha De Silva, State Minister of International Trade Sujeewa Senasinghe and Sri Lanka Export Development Board (SLEDB) Chairperson and Chief Executive Indira Malwatte.
Sri Lanka's Minister of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Development Mahinda Amaraweera says the locally manufactured boats currently has a high demand in the international market.
According to the Minister, during the past years, Sri Lanka has earned a massive amount of foreign exchange from exportation of boats and vessels. In 2014, Sri Lanka earned Rs. 11.48 billion and Rs. 11.2 billion in 2015 from the vessel exports.
With a large section of Sri Lanka’s tourism being beach-based, the industry in the island nation requires pleasure sail boats and boats for sea excursions for whale/dolphin watching, leisure fishing, snorkelling, scuba diving, etc. This was highlighted at a session held last week to announce the Boat Show & Fisheries Exhibition Sri Lanka 2016 scheduled to take place from October 13 to 15 at the Dickowita Fishery Harbour, Colombo.
It was also noted that Sri Lanka has a coastal shore-line of 1,340kms and a large inland water mass consisting of lagoons, lakes, reservoirs etc. There are 13 major fishery harbours, 15 anchorages and 1,053 landing sites on the coastal belt. However, the full potential of the ocean is yet to be utilized and ideal water front lands for development of marinas and boat yards are available around the island.
With the recent launch of the WEDF 2016 to be held in Sri Lanka in October, the EDB has taken a bold step towards creating a true sense of the word of Public, Private Partnership.
Several leading professionals who have been invited from national chambers and product associations to steer various “action groups” have been appointed to head six different Committees tasked to map strategies and plan all aspects of arrangements to successfully hold the 2 day conclave which is the 16th edition of the WEDF.
