Lanka grateful to EU for livelihood support

Sri Lanka is thankful to the EU for its support for various livelihood projects for the displaced, especially in the Northern and Eastern regions. Sri Lanka also invites high level trade, business and industry delegations from the EU for "Sri Lanka Expo 2012", mega export show to be held in Sri Lanka after a lapse of 15 years said Rishad Bathiudeen, Minister of Industry and Commerce.

Minister of Industry and Commerce of Sri Lanka Rishad Bathiudeen,(centre) met the members of the EU Parliament on December 6 at the Ministry of Industry and Commerce, with Secretary, Minister of Industry and Commerce, Tilak Collure,(left). The EU delegation members from left Members of EU Parliament, David Martin, Richard Howitt, Ms. Ana Gomes and (Policy Advisor and Assistant of S&D Party) Ms. Brigitte Bataille.

Minister Bathiudeen was addressing a visiting four-member EU Parliamentary delegation representing the Socialists and Democrats Party (S&D) recently at the Ministry of Industry and Commerce. The EU delegation consisted of members of the EU Parliament Richard Howitt, Ms. Ana Gomes and (Policy Advisor and Assistant of S&D Party) Ms. Brigitte Bataille.

According to the Department of Commerce, the EU is Sri Lanka 's largest export destination. The total trade between the EU and Sri Lanka stood at $ 4,434 in 2010.

The UK, Germany, Italy, Belgium, France and Sweden are the main EU member countries investing in Sri Lanka.

These countries have invested in diverse sectors such as apparel, hosiery, knitwear, surf sails, textile, electronic products, light engineering, rubber-ased products, (e.g. tyres), coir-based products, gem and jewellery.

The European Commission has been supporting vulnerable communities in Sri Lanka with humanitarian aid since 1992 and since the end of terrorism in 2009, the Commission provided a series of financial support.

In 2010, the delegation of the European Union to Sri Lanka and the Maldives said that the European Commission had adopted the Annual Action Plan (AAP) 2010 for Euro 16 million (Rs 2.4 billion) in grant assistance to Sri Lanka, allocating for livelihoods and community infrastructure support in the Northern and the Eastern districts.

Briefing the delegation on Sri Lanka 's progress on resettlement, rehabilitation and livelihoods of those displaced, Minister Bathiudeen said: "We have already provided livelihood training for former combatants through the successful efforts of the Ministry of Vocational and Technical Training and will continue to assist them. For instance, on January 20, a special project will see many individuals in the Mannar District receiving livelihood support through the Divineguma project.

We are also discussing with donor agencies for more support for livelihood development. In fact the National Enterprise Development Agency (NEDA) under my Ministry has also enlisted German government support through GIZ for SME entrepreneurs from this group."

"Among the activities that are productive to refugees are agro, cottage and food processing sector activities" said Secretary, Minister of Industry and Commerce, Tilak Collure.

"We have seen an enthusiastic response from them after the success of small scale machinery such as tractors support project and value-added agro products such as Papaya juice production too" Collure said.

Minister Bathiudeen told the visiting delegation that the Sri Lankan diaspora are also keen to return. "They want to invest here" he added.

Responding to a query by David Martin on the Minister's views on the EU's GSP plus facility, Minister Bathiudeen said that the resumption of the EU's GSP plus to Sri Lanka would greatly boost Sri Lanka 's resettlement and livelihood efforts. "It will certainly generate more employment opportunities for the North and the East as well".