Financial Times

Dutch support to drive Lankan private sector

The Dutch development cooperation policy is focused on the development of a powerful private sector which is essential in rebuilding a war-affected country, said Suzan Blankhart, Netherlands Ambassador in Sri Lanka.

She was making a public presentation recently in Colombo on the economic development facilities of the Dutch government for Sri Lanka.

The ambassador said that both national and international stakeholders should undertake serious efforts to strengthen the entrepreneurial infrastructure of Sri Lanka.

Ravi Karunanayake, Minister of Commerce and Consumer Affairs said that the government's Regaining Sri Lanka programme would take the country back on the road to economic recovery. The government was called upon to pull the country out of a disastrous economic situation, he said adding that the future steps on peace adopted by the government paved the way for economic development with investments in the right direction.

He said the government appreciated the assistance of the Netherlands government in these difficult times and for the generosity of writing off the debts. He said though some progress was made, Sri Lanka is still far away in development and there should be good governance to which the country was now moving. He said that one of the most important things that the country has embarked upon would be not to just export, but to manufacture and export.

Ms. Baukje Dijkstra of the Centre for the Promotion of Imports from developing countries (CBI) said that CBI introduces entrepreneurs of developing countries to the European Market and link them to European importers while also making arrangements for them to participate in trade fairs held in Europe. The mission of the centre would be to bring about economic independence of developing countries and strengthen the competitiveness of the private sector. (QP)