Jaffna meeting to offer support to women in business – by Melani Manel Perera
Source : asianews
The bilateral initiative with the United Kingdom is designed to boost trade relations between the two countries, starting with the promotion of women-led companies. A platform for women entrepreneurs to contact UK buyers has been established. Participants stress the need for Sri Lanka to be inclusive to drive growth.
Jaffna (AsiaNews) – Sri Lanka and the United Kingdom are doubling up to support women’s empowerment in the business field.
This follows a bilateral trade meeting in Jaffna on Wednesday between representatives of the two countries, organised by the International Trade Centre (ITC) and the Sri Lanka Export Development Board (EDB).
The initiative highlighted the export potential of women-led businesses in Sri Lanka, particularly in the northern region.
According to sources in Jaffna, the goal is to enable women-led businesses to diversify their export markets, improve competitiveness, and drive sustainable economic growth in the country.
The meeting was part of the UK government-funded SheTrades Commonwealth+ programme, which provides a platform for Sri Lankan women entrepreneurs to connect with British buyers and explore new business opportunities.
Simon Calvert, head of Programmes in the Trade for Development Team at the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office, and EDB Director General Champika Dharmasena opened the event.
The two emphasised the importance of empowering women entrepreneurs and enabling their access to international markets to drive inclusive economic growth in Sri Lanka.
One of the key features of the meeting was the market information session, led by Simon Calvert.
During the session, participants gained valuable insights into the UK market, including sectoral opportunities, export volumes, and ways to leverage the Developing Countries Trading Scheme (DCTS), the system of gradual tariffs on goods imported into the UK from many countries around the world.
The session conducted by Calvert also provided women-led businesses with the tools and knowledge to expand their reach in the UK market.
The meeting also included visits to women-led factory buildings in Jaffna, allowing British buyers to discover the skills and innovations of local women entrepreneurs in sectors such as agri-food and apparel.
These visits highlighted the capability of women entrepreneurs in Jaffna to deliver high-quality products to markets.
In addition, Business-to-Business (B2B) meetings were organised, giving women-led businesses the chance to engage directly with UK buyers. This led to the creation of a platform for establishing valuable business connections, discussing potential partnerships, and showcasing the products of Sri Lankan women entrepreneurs.
This programme represents an important milestone in strengthening UK-Sri Lanka trade relations, with a strong focus on the growth and development of women-led businesses in Sri Lanka.
