Fifteen representatives from Sri Lanka border regulatory agencies, private sector organizations, Chambers of Commerce, and members of the Sri Lanka National Trade Facilitation Committee (NTFC) are on a familiarization tour to Australia from 27 to 31 August, 2018. The delegation is headed by Chairperson of the NTFC, Mrs. P. S M Charles, Director General of Customs, and Co-Chairperson Mrs. Sonali Wijeratne, Director General of Commerce.
During this visit, the Sri Lankan delegation will learn the best practices in trade facilitation in Australia. They will also travel to Canberra as a part of the programme and have meetings with Australian Government Officials from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), Home Affairs, Department of Agriculture and Water Resources, Austrade and Australian Chambers of Commerce.
This programme was implemented under the EU-Sri Lanka Trade Related Assistance Project by the International Trade Centre (ITC) and UNIDO. Under this project, the ITC in close collaboration with Export Council of Australia (ECA) and the DFAT, organised a tour for a Sri Lankan delegation to build their capacity in the area of trade facilitation.
Consul General Lal Wickrematunge and Consul (Commercial) Abdul Raheem of the Consulate General of Sri Lanka in Sydney spoke at the official opening session of the Conference, along with Chair of the ECA Dianne Tipping. Project Co-ordinator of the ITC, Dr Dayaratne de Silva also spoke on the objective of the visit of the Sri Lankan delegation to Australia.
