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| Sunday, 25 May 2003 |
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Dutch aid to develop private sector, promote trade by Pelham Juriansz The Royal Netherlands Embassy, in collaboration with the Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Sri Lanka, organised a public presentation on economic development facilities made available by the Dutch Government for Sri Lanka. The aim was to discuss the promotion of economic development in Sri Lanka and to find ways and means of exploring markets and business opportunities and linking private companies from the Netherlands and Sri Lanka. Projects to be developed will be given an average contribution of Euro 500,000. The program is initially for two years with a target of four projects a year. The Memorandum of Understanding was signed last week between the Ambassador for the Netherlands in Sri Lanka, Susan Blankart and Secretary, Ministry of Policy Development and Implementation, Charitha Ratwatte. The Programme for Cooperation with Emerging Markets (PSOM) was made applicable to Sri Lanka to assist the private sector and promote trade between the island and the Netherlands. PSOM has bases in Asia, Africa, Latin America and many new expanding markets. These 'emerging markets' provide promising opportunities for Dutch businesses to expand their trade and investments. The Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs (DG of Development Co-operation) finances PSOM. The open tender procedure, the selection of the projects, and the monitoring of running projects is the responsibility of SENTER, an agency of the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs. S.P.C. Kumarasinghe of the Netherlands Management Co-operation Programme (NMCP) presented the economic development facilities made available by the organisation. He said there are five programmes - Centre for the Promotion of Imports from Developing Countries, NMCP, SENTER, ORET and PUM. These new grant programmes will assist the two countries to share the cost involved, for instance, in creating jobs. The aim is to give free technical advice to companies and institutions. Work is going on in 85 countries in the fields of agriculture, trade, commerce and accounting. Projects in the leather industry are already in progress in the Western Province with the Industrial Development Board. The search for the right senior adviser to match an application is the work of 70 country co-ordinators. Raud Van Wensen, Senior Policy Adviser, SENTER (the implementing agency for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Hague) said that they should concentrate on what SENTER has to offer the business community in Sri Lanka. It also works with a typical PSOM project, which has as its aims, improving conditions for the poor by creating extra employment and income. It also offers prospects for investment, or sustainable trade relationships with PSOM countries. |
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