WEDF 2016 to focus on regional and global trade issues

This year’s event will have four key plenary sessions:

Global business leaders, policy makers and heads of trade will discuss issues ranging from transitioning trade environments, transparency and traceability to business strategies and trade policies across the world, at the 16th edition of the World Export Development Forum (WEDF) to be held in October in Colombo.

The Sri Lanka Export Development Board (SLEDB) with the International Trade Centre (ITC) has finalised the agenda for the two-day conference themed ‘Trade for Success: Connect, Compete, Change’ from October 12 to 13. This year’s event will have four key plenary sessions, with the opening plenary session taking on the timely topic ‘When Regional Blocs Cross Oceans’, discussing the significance of driving global connectivity through improved and well-governed trade facilitation. The second session takes on the competitiveness of today’s digital economy by discussing the topic Digital Doors to Trade. A plenary session on Standards: A Gateway to Global Markets, focusing changing consumer mindsets and standards required to regulate resulting dynamic supply chains will be held on the second day. The final plenary session will be on tourism, one of the biggest potential areas in export investment and development, focusing on Authenticity: The New Tourism Destination.

The plenary sessions act as catalysts for the WEDF Fora across the years, enabling discussions on pressings as well as trending trade policies, and industry changing plans and decisions. This year’s sessions will set benchmark standards by bringing together influential thought leaders from both business and government sectors. The first day of the conference will also present two ‘In-focus’ sessions, offering the audience valuable insight into practical business cases, and will be presented by highly successful business entrepreneurs in the region.

The first session will discuss Trade Facilitation and Logistics in Regional Integration, while the second will focus on how Young Entrepreneurs Enable Innovation.