Surging EU e-economy comes forward to support Lanka GSP redux

Daily FT - 14/03/2015

• Baltic hub & gateway to renew trade, investments
• ‘10 firm strong tourism delegation in April’: Estonian Ambassador Lubi
• ‘Loss of GSP Plus affected our apparel revenues’: Rishad
• ‘Want to invest in tourism, logistics and ICT: Ambassador Lubi
• Also pioneering e-economy

Closely on the heels of last week’s revelation on support for Lanka’s trade issues by Brussel’s powerful EU Trade committee follows the latest open support offer on Lanka’s GSP Plus redux by a steadily growing high-tech EU economy, as revealed on 11 March.

“We closely follow Sri Lankan trade issues with EU as well as all related reports on it. Recovery of GSP Plus can help Sri Lanka greatly! Let us give the new Government a chance and see,” voiced a keen Viljar Lubi (the New Delhi based Ambassador of Estonia to Sri Lanka).

Top European trade delegation in Sri Lanka to initiate US$ 8 million project

A top European trade delegation has arrived in Sri Lanka to formulate a trade-related capacity building project, which will enhance the overall performance of the export sector of Sri Lanka.

The proposed US$ 8 million project, which is scheduled to implement from 2016, will be funded by the European Union, the Minister of Commerce and Industries Rishad Bathiudeen said.

"This latest initiative matches very well with our new government's vision and a great start! Therefore on behalf of the President Maithripala Sirisena, I extend our thanks to the EC (European Commission) for interacting very quickly with us in this event as well as all our trade initiatives and issues," the Minister said addressing the delegation.

EDB unveils srilanka servicexport.com Service-exporters urged to join, reap benefits

The Island - 22/02/2015

Saman Maldeni, Director, Export Services of SLEDB showcases EDB's new web portal to service

As Sri Lanka's top service exports -ICT- started moving towards crucial US dollar one billion mark this year, the country's apex exports body EDB announced a major initiative on 17 February to further diversify exports beyond merchandises and to move for service exports.

"srilankaservicexport.com is the first, specialised web portal for all our service exporters and a one stop for them to link with international partners. This portal is absolutely free for exporters" said Saman Maldeni (Director, Export Services of SLEDB) on 17 February in Colombo.

Lankan ICTs first entry to Slush 2015

news.lk - 17/12/2014

In a major renewal of its economic cooperation with Sri Lanka, World’s ICT innovation leader has announced that it is ready to form a joint Business Council with Sri Lanka for the first time, as revealed on dEC.04-and Lankan ICT start-ups have received a breakthrough invitation to showcase themselves at one of world’s top-tier start-up events in 2015.

“It is time that we establish a Finland-Sri Lanka Business Council for B2B activities. Such a mechanism will kick-start the process. We are also looking forward to see SME level Sri Lankan ICT BPM and business start-ups at the 2015 ‘Slush’ event in Helsinki” said an upbeat Matti Anttonen, Finnish Deputy Minister of External Economic Relations & Finnish Under-Secretary of State on dEC.04 in Colombo.

Jan-Oct exports surge to $ 9 b

Daily FT - 10/12/2014

• YoY Jan-Oct exports up by 8.7% to $ 9.1 b
• Working towards $ 20 b by 2020: EDB’s Egodage
• Fisheries in turnaround
• US still topmost market for Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka’s January-October YoY exports have surged by almost 9% while an export product that recently faced volatile EU markets showed a promising turnaround, as revealed yesterday.

“For the month of October 2014 alone our provisional exports were at $ 900 m and this is only merchandise exports without taking into account of service exports such as ICT,” said EDB Chairman/CEO Bandula Egodage, commenting on the provisional top-line export data presented to him by EDB Directors at a progress review session held at the EDB yesterday.

‘Lanka IT sector to hit $1B mark next year’-EDB

news.lk - 05/12/2014

Sri Lanka’s surging IT and BPO exports would hit the critical dollar one billion mark as early as next year, surpassing previous expectations! And London Stock Exchange and HSBC have praised the Lankan IT sector ‘with joy’, as revealed on 05 December in Jaffna. And the pioneering Northern IT Exports forum by EDB & ICTA was packed with enthusiastic regional IT industry.

“We earned $719 Mn from ICT exports, and our projection for 2014 is $820 Mn. At this rate, we expect to hit dollar one billion mark very soon-as early as 2015. We have seen 123% growth in IT sector over the last five years. London Stock Exchange and HSBC also praised the Lankan IT sector with joy” said Saman Maldeni (Director, Export Services of SLEDB) on 05 December in Jaffna.

EDB to host international delegation at SLDF 2014

Daily FT - 05/12/2014

Lanka Design Festival (SLDF) 2014, which is backed by local industries and the Government, is scheduled to kick off over the next few days.

The main objective of the festival is to promote design driven exports as a major economic sector for the country. For this reason, SLDF is supported by Sri Lanka’s apex institute for driving exports, the Sri Lanka Export Development Board (EDB).