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| Sunday, 13 January 2002 |
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Lanka - Norway business links strengthened In a bid to provide an impetus to trade and investment between Sri Lanka and Norway, a Sri Lankan delegation will visit the Scandinavian country in May. The Norwegians will reciprocate with a visit to Sri Lanka in November, Second Secretary to the Norwegian Embassy in Sri Lanka, S. Ranbal said. The Sri Lanka - Norway Industrial Co-operation (Matchmaking) Programme, begun in 1994, is now in its third phase. Both sides intend to utilise the programme to its maximum, before it ends in December 2003. Eighteen joint venture projects set up under the programme were doing well, President, Sri Lanka Nordic Business Council, Manil de Mel told a seminar on `Opportunities for business collaboration between Norwegian and Sri Lankan companies.' Norwegian entrepreneur, Inge Reithang, who heads NB Partner, Oslo, attended the seminar in Colombo. Out of 131 companies matched under the programme, 105 enterprises had benefited through technology transfer and international business development. Eighty two Lankan entrepreneurs visited Norway under the programme, and 27 Norwegians had visited Sri Lanka. Of 27 feasibility studies carried out, 21 are collaboration ventures. Eighteen such ventures were operating successfully, Reithang said. The programme is funded by the Norwegian Agency for Development Co-operation (NORAD). Five successful Sri Lankan entrepreneurs reiterated the success of their companies under the programme. They said the Norwegians were willing to give grants to help Sri Lankan companies to improve performance. Reithang said that Norway - Sri Lanka collaboration agreements could take the form of licence agreements, joint ventures, industrial cooperation and similar technological cooperation arrangements. In special circumstances, trading agreements for companies having a manufacturing base could be included. The programme also envisaged joint ventures or partnerships with third country ventures if production is based in Sri Lanka. The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce (CCC) is the national contact point for the programme in Sri Lanka. NB Partner AS, an industrial consultancy firm which used its knowledge and experience of Norwegian industry to seek interested collaboration, is the national contact in Norway. The programme has identified the following sectors as having the potential for cooperation agreements and investment possibilities on the basis of Norwegian industrial competence in these areas: Aquaculture technology and equipment; fishing gear, boat building and services; Processed fish and shellfish products; IT and software development; electronics; power generation and electrical technology; environmental technology production and services; furniture and other wooden products; apparels; engineering products and machinery (ancillary items); and eco and adventure tourism. The possibility of using Sri Lanka as an operational base for either the local market or export to third countries will be explored. |
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