Sri Lanka's Apex Organisation for Export Promotion
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.
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.
From the series of ICT/BPM Weeks conducted by Sri Lanka Export Development Board in Kandy, Jaffna, Kurunegala, Marata followed by the roaring success of all events, EDB hosts a follow up program crafted with half-day workshop and an industry visit on 29th of January 2019 at Hatch Works (Pvt) Ltd. in the association with SLASSCOM. The main objectives of this event were to make awareness on how to do a winning pitch to market the business, how the operations happen in incubations centers and the available opportunities in the ICT sector for the Regional ICT companies.
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 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.
Sri Lanka’s new national policy for its maritime and logistics sectors foresees reduced dependence on Indian container transshipment cargo, Colombo port’s main business for years, given changes in shipping services and emerging competition from other ports.
2019-01-21/ http://www.dailynews.lk/2019/01/22/business/175019/edb-seeks-green-light-quarantine-authorities-china
Sri Lanka Export Development Board (EDB) has made a formal request to the Quarantine Authorities of China for obtaining quarantine clearance for in a bid to support Sri Lankan Agri-entrepreneurs in gaining new ground in China’s organic market.
With the concept of wellness becoming a buzzword in the world, the tourism industry has capitalized on its potential by offering travel experiences that have health and well-being as a core component. International travellers are increasingly considering wellness when planning their holiday itinerary. With trips being organized based on concepts such as physical, psychological and spiritual wellbeing, healthy food and spa treatments.
Sri Lanka’s merchandise and service exports in 2018 are estimated to have hit an all-time high of $ 17 billion, up 15% from a year earlier prompting the Government to be confident of achieving the $20 billion milestone this year.
NOCU organized an awareness workshop for the stakeholders engaged in organic agriculture related activities to educate them on the role of NOCU and international market prospects for organic agriculture products. Workshop was held on 29th November 2018 at the EDB 3rd Floor Auditorium. This workshop was organized for Growers/Farmers, Processors, Traders, Exporters, Importers Other organic related entrepreneurs etc.
The EDB organized a seminar with Ms.Stella Photi, Founder & Managing Director of Wellbeing Escapes, London, on 31st of October from 9.00 am to 12.00 pm at the EDB. She is a renowned Wellness tourism expert on Wellbeing travel involved in many wellness tourism projects around the world and a much sought after guest speaker in international wellness forums.
2018-10-26/ http://www.ft.lk/business/Boat-Show---Boating-Festival-Sri-Lanka-2018-kicks-off-today/34-665494
The Boat Show & Boating Festival Sri Lanka 2018 is organised by the Boat Building Technology Improvement Institute (BTI) and Sri Lanka Export Development Board (EDB), in association with the Ministry of Development Strategies and International Trade, the Ministry of Ports and Shipping, and Sri Lanka Ports Authority at Galle Yacht Marina, Port of Galle from 26–28 October.
The Sri Lanka Export Development Board (EDB), as the apex organization for promoting exports, has identified the Health/Wellness Tourism sector as a key focus sector in terms of foreign exchange earnings and as a key sector in the National Export Strategy (NES). There is a clear synergy between global trends and Sri Lanka’s traditional health approaches. The country has natural and traditional endowments that can be used to foster a sustainable wellness tourism value chain that is deeply rooted in local communities and traditions. The growing interest in and demand for wellness services is a favorable global trend for the development of this industry in Sri Lanka. Many countries and destinations are defining themselves as wellness tourism destinations but most do not have Sri Lanka’s rich cultural and wellness lifestyle based heritage. The Average spending of a wellness traveler is around US$ 250 which is far beyond the spending of a general tourist or backpackers.
2018-10-05/ http://www.dailynews.lk/2018/10/05/business/164603/import-promotion-desk-germany-partner-edb
The Chairperson and Chief Executive, EDB Indira Malwatte together with the Sri Lanka Embassy in Germany had extremely fruitful discussions with officers from Import Promotion Desk (IPD), the German initiatives for import promotion of selected countries.
The 22nd Presidential Export Awards Ceremony was held to celebrate the outstanding achievements of the Exporters at the Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall (BMICH) in Colombo, on September 18, 2018, under the patronage of His Excellency Maithripala Sirisena the President of Sri Lanka.
Following is the address by Minister Malik Samarawickrama at the Presidential Export Awardson 18 September
2018-09-09/ /blog/polish-push-for-local-boat-building-industry.html http://www.sundayobserver.lk/2018/09/09/business/polish-push-local-boat-building-industry
In keeping with the government’s aim of developing Sri Lanka’s boat building industry as one of the six sectors of the economic drive, stakeholders are looking at a strategic approach to fuel its growth.
The National Export Strategy (NES) has started sailing in the high waves after obtaining the Cabinet approval and the launch with all the stakeholders of the NES. The NES, a flagship development project spearheaded by the Development Strategies and International Trade Ministry and Sri Lanka Export Development Board (EDB), together with the public-private partnership, commenced its implementation.
