2019-03-19/ http://www.ft.lk/front-page/Huawei-steps-up-commitment--growth-potential-in-%E2%80%9Cinnovation-hub%E2%80%9D-SL/44-674915
Global giant Huawei yesterday (18-03-2019) reiterated its commitment to Sri Lanka, a regional hub for innovation and core business segments delivering good growth with potential for more.
Microsoft and IDC announced via media release the results of a survey where more than 1,600 business leaders and over 1,580 workers across 15 markets in Asia Pacific were asked about the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on society, business and the economy. The study involved 1,605 business leaders (strategic decision-makers of organisations with 250+ staff) and 1,585 workers (non-decision-makers with an understanding of AI) over a range of industries in 15 markets – namely, Australia, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, India, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, New Zealand, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam.
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.
2019-03-16/ http://www.island.lk/index.php?page_cat=article-details&page=article-details&code_title=201093
Digital Infrastructure & Information Technology Minister, Ajith P. Perera, said development technology and e-government will soon be a reality in Parliament and government departments. The future will be that delays and excuses for inefficiency will no longer be tangible escape bungs that stifle progress.
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.
2019-03-13/ http://www.ft.lk/business/SLINTEC-signs-agreement-with-Dynawash-to-commercialise-new-dyeing-technology/34-674542
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.
The final workshop on National Port Master Plan (NPMP) organised together with the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Southern Development and the Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) was held last week at Hotel Kingsbury, Colombo with a large gathering of local and foreign professionals.
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.
2019-03-06/ http://www.ft.lk/business/National-program-to-develop-2000-new-exporters-by-the-year-2020/34-674061
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.
The Regional Print Excellence Awards 2019 is one of the highly anticipated event in a biennial calendar of Sri Lanka Printing Industry. The event is focused on felicitating and recognizing printers outside Colombo, identifying their contribution to improve the standards of the industry by way of Quality and Creativity, meeting stringent industry standards and continuously reflecting high benchmarks the industry.
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.
2019-03-01/ https://www.eetindia.co.in/news/article/Sri-Lanka-An-Emerging-Electrical-and-Electronics-Sector
The Electrical and Electronics Industry in Sri Lanka has grown over the past 40 years into a key industrial manufacturing sector, contributing towards the country’s economic growth
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.
A full-scale IT infrastructure drive is currently underway to transform Colombo — Sri Lanka’s busiest port — into a ‘smart port,’ Ports, Shipping and Southern Development Minister Sagala Ratnayaka has announced. “Transforming Colombo into a ‘smart port’is a timely need,” the Minister said, adding that Rs. 929 million had been allocated for the project, which has been included in the Asian Development Bank-supported master plan for Sri Lanka’s port development. Ratnayaka said Colombo’s transformation into a smart port would ensure the development of a collaborative approach that would make the port smart in terms of flow, situation or customer management.
2019-02-26/ http://www.ft.lk/it-telecom-tech/International-and-local-IT-trailblazers-to-steer-FITIS-National-CXO-Forum-2019/50-673519
Federation of Information Technology Industry Sri Lanka (FITIS) has joined hands with the Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA) also known as the Taipei World Trade Centre (TWTC) to promote Computex 2019.