Sri Lanka's Apex Organisation for Export Promotion
2019-07-25/ http://www.ft.lk/it-telecom-tech/ICT-Industry-Skills-Council-steps-up-initiatives/50-682601
In yet another significant step forward, the ICT Industry Skills Council (ICTISC) is planning to introduce significant impetus to the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Skills Development in the country.
Despite global and local challenges, Sri Lanka’s merchandised and service exports have risen by 11.4% to $ 8.5 billion in the first half of this year, prompting the Government to attribute it to a series of development efforts and assure further support. Releasing the latest yet provisional data, Development Strategies and International Trade Minister Malik Samarawickrama said yesterday that export sector performance was commendable, though he admitted there is significant scope for higher value. “The 11.4% growth, despite the impact of the October 2018 undemocratic constitutional coup, and the Easter Sunday tragedy, as well as global challenges, is very satisfactory. For the first time, three months of first half of 2019 - January, March and June - have produced over $ 1 billion worth of merchandised exports. We had originally set an ambitious $ 20 billion target for 2019, but we may miss it and end up at around $ 18.5 billion, which will be still higher than the $ 16 billion achieved last year,” Samarawickrama said.
A delegation led by Hon. Nalin Bandara, Deputy Minister of Development Strategies & International Trade comprising officials from both the public and private sector visited United Arab Emirates (UAE) and met several important trade partners in the UAE. The delegation had very fruitful discussions with the Dubai Chamber of Commerce & Industry, Sharjah Chamber of Commerce & Industry as well as Al-Maya Group and the Lulu Supermarket International.
Sri Lanka is now officially an approved participant at the World Expo 2020 Dubai as the Government of Sri Lanka signed the Official Participation Contract with the "Dubai Expo 2020 Bureau” on 08th July 2019. The high level delegation to the UAE for the Contract signing Ceremony was led by Hon. Nalin Bandara, Deputy Minister of Development Strategies & International Trade. Ms. Indira Malwatte, Chairperson & Chief Executive, Sri Lanka Export Development Board as the Commissioner General for Sri Lanka of Expo 2020 Dubai, signed the Official Participation Contract on behalf of Sri Lanka with Mr. Najeeb Mohammed Al-Ali, Executive Director of Dubai Expo 2020 Bureau in the presence of Hon. Nalin Bandara, Deputy Minister of Development Strategy and International Trade.
The Sri Lanka Export Development Board (EDB) has been conducting the Exporters’ Forum since its inception from late 70s. The EDB has identified the need of a common platform to discuss and resolve the issues faced by the exporter community in Sri Lanka in order to facilitate exporters to overcome constraints arising from policy and operational issues created by various institutes that regulate, operate, and facilitate cross border trade. The EDB as the nation’s prime institute to facilitate export development created this mechanism to enable exporters to submit their issues to the highest levels of state institutions that cannot be reached easily by a trader. The unique feature of the Exporters’ Forum is the participation of the private sector and the public sector to resolve issues, with the political leadership represented by the relevant minister together with direct ministry-level interventions providing solutions to address those issues.
The Sri Lanka Export Development Board (EDB) is planning to hold the 23rd Presidential Export Awards Ceremony under the patronage of President Maithripala Sirisena on 19 September at the BMICH
The Expo 2020 Dubai is a global trade exposition showcasing strengths, capabilities and innovation of over 180 countries and set to host over 25 million visitors from across the globe. Set to be one of the largest events ever to be staged in the Arab world and the first of its kind across the Middle East, Africa and Asia, the World Expo is one of the longest standing and largest international events to take place in the world.
The Eighth seminar for the Ratnapura District entrepreneurs on the national program of developing 2000 New Exporters was held on June 07, 2019 at the Kethumathi Hotel, Ratnapura,
It is customary to assess some aspect of the performance of a country using a composite index such as the Ease of Doing Business Index or the Network Readiness Index. For government services, there is the e-Government Development Index (EGDI), issued every two years by the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs.
Connecting global markets has always been a core value proposition for Sri Lanka. For centuries the island nation has leveraged its strategic geopolitical positioning to connect the East and the West. Now, as traditional logistics models are disrupted by technological advancements, geographic location is gradually losing its relevance. Despite this, Sri Lanka looks set to continue being a vital piece of the global logistics puzzle through a transition from one core strength to another: a world class tech industry and strong affinity for disruptive digital innovation. The country’s robust talent pool and innovative culture has helped it be a part of global supply chains that would never traditionally cross Lankan shores. Nowhere is this better exemplified than in the case of 99X Technology and IceFresh.
Sri Lanka's geo-strategic location has always made the country an ideal destination to those who wish to access emerging Asian markets. Global multinationals looking to enter large South Asian economies such as India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh have increasingly utilized Sri Lanka as a testing ground to gauge opportunities and utilize the territory as an innovative incubation hub for the region.
Sri Lanka has built a reputation for churning out world-class solutions for multi-billion-dollar industries around the world. Availability and access to top engineering talent, creativity and resourcefulness, and a collaborative mentality to co-innovate solutions differentiate Sri Lanka from other locations.
2019-05-24/ http://www.ft.lk/it-telecom-tech/SLANSHEI-and-SLASSCOM-engage-in-strategic-partnership-to-boost-IT-BPM-industry-capacity/50-678908
The Sri Lankan Association of Software and Services Companies (SLASSCOM) announces the signing of a strategic partnership with the Sri Lanka Association of Non-State Higher Education Institutes (SLANSHEI), the umbrella organisation formed through the initiation of seven leading private educational bodies addressing the needs of the non-state higher education sector in the country.
Sri Lanka is home to a rapidly growing ICT/ BPM industry that thrives on innovation, tech development, and high-end service standards. Rather than going on the path of competing with other developing countries for headcount based outsourced businesses, Sri Lanka focused on developing a niche and specialized talent base carving out a competitive position for high-end product & service development and knowledge services.
Transforming Sri Lanka into the hub of the Indian Ocean, with a knowledge-based, highly competitive and social-market economyis the objective of the Vision 2025 policy document of the Government.Making the transistion to anexport, FDI and tourism orientedcountry is the only optionfor Sri Lanka to create better jobs for the youth of our country and to graduate to a higher income economy.
A top level Sri Lankan ICT/BPM delegation organised by the Export Development Board successfully participated at the Japan IT Week 2019 from 8 to 10 May.
As per the instructions of the Hon. Malik Samarawickrama, Minister of Development Strategies and International Trade, Export Development Board organized a meeting with the key Exporters and Investors on Friday 03rd May 2019 at the 3rd Floor Auditorium to discuss the current situation of the country.
2019-04-30/ http://www.ft.lk/it-telecom-tech/Lanka-Start-up-Ecosystem-investor-forum-in-Sydney/50-677419
Consulate General of Sri Lanka in Sydney along with BOV Capital, Colombo and Grant Thornton, Sydney organised an investor forum showcasing the Start-up Ecosystem in Sri Lanka on Wednesday 17 April. Over 50 entrepreneurs who are keen to understand and look at investment potential in the Lankan Start up Ecosystem participated in the investor forum and the business networking.
Sri Lanka Telecom (SLT), the national ICT solutions provider, entered into a partnership with AsiaInfo International Ltd., a leading IT solutions and service integrator in the global communications industry, to introduce digital products and solutions to the Sri Lankan market.
Japan IT Week is one of the world’s leading ICT/BPM-focused exhibitions and provides a myriad of opportunities for professionals, vendors, service providers and customers to meet exhibitors from across the world and develop profitable business relationships. Japan has a strong track record of innovation, making Japan IT Week the ideal platform for Sri Lankan companies to showcase their offerings, establish business relations and expand their footprint in the continent.
