Conference on local economic development in Colombo

The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce organises the South and South-East Asia Conference on Local Economic Development (LED), which will take place in Colombo on June 16 - 17, 2009. The Conference is supported by ILO Enter-Growth, ILO International Training Centre, the Ministry of Enterprise Development and Investment Promotion, USAID funded CORE project, The Asia Foundation and the German Technical Cooperation (GTZ), which will all contribute to the conference program.

In the light of the growing attention of governments and development agencies to LED as a strategy for poverty reduction and eliminating disparities between different parts of a country as well as a response to the current global economic situation, the conference will be of most opportune in terms of timing and content.

At the conference, LED practitioners in the region will share experiences, identify the key challenges for LED as well as discuss lessons learnt in different locations. Practical examples of LED approaches and results, such as public-private dialogue, employment creation and decent work, more competitive business and financial services, and how to create a vibrant business environment, will be presented and discussed. The conference will have a forward looking approach, encouraging the participants to identify actions to bring LED up to a level in the region.

LED practitioners and experts from the Philippines, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Nepal, and Sri Lanka have already signed up for the conference and will present their experiences. Government, Private sector and NGO representatives from almost all regions in Sri Lanka have also confirmed their participation.