NCE business delegation visits Czech Republic and Austria

The National Chamber of Exporters of Sri Lankan (NCE) is the only private sector Chamber that exclusively provides services to exporters in Sri Lanka, most of whom are manufacturing exporters. The Chamber which has over 400 member companies across all products and services sectors including some of the major Export Houses in Sri Lanka, organised a business delegation of its members to the Czech Republic and Austria, to explore business opportunities, in the European market. 

The objectives of the mission were:

• To explore the possibilities to engage in two way trade by exporting Sri Lankan products and sourcing inputs such as raw materials, equipment used in the production process, and packing materials, for mutual benefit 
• To establish a network with the Trade Chambers and business contacts in the two countries
• To establish links for direct exports to the two countries with a view to avoid exporting via third parties in other countries.

The delegation was led by Chamber President Sarada De Silva and Chamber Secretary General Shiham Marikar. The following companies and their representatives joined the delegation:

Straight-Line International Ltd. – Ramesh Muthukumar (Managing Director), Faga Tyres Ltd. – K.A.C. Vidyaratne (Managing Director), Fanam International Ltd. – T.F.N. Amith (Director), Coirpel Lanka Ltd. and Colombo Cargo Express Ltd. – Janaka Widanagamage (Manager Imports/Bonds), Nasna Impex Garments Industries Ltd. – Zaid Farook Somar (Director) and Mohamed Haniffa Hariz (Chief Operating Officer), Samson International Plc & D. Samson Industries Ltd. –Dilshan Rajapaksa (General Manager – Coordination). 

The NCE coordinated with the Sri Lankan Mission in Vienna, Austria to organise meetings for the delegates. 

The delegation met with the following Trade Chambers and related Associations: 

• Confederation of Industry of the Czech Republic
• International Chamber of Commerce in the Czech Republic 
• Economic Diplomacy Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Czech Republic
• Federal Economic Chamber (WKO) in Vienna
• Ministry of Industry and Trade in Czech Republic

The Confederation of Industry of the Czech Republic, International Chamber of Commerce in the Czech Republic, and the Federal Economic Chamber (WKO) in Vienna had organised B2B meetings with some of their members. These meetings were coordinated by the Sri Lankan Mission in Vienna, Austria under the leadership of Ambassador of Sri Lanka to Austria A.L.A. Azeez. The Ambassador had also provided members of the delegation valuable business information related to trade between the EU and Sri Lanka. He had also joined the delegates during the meeting at the Federal Economic Chamber (WKO) in Vienna where he addressed the gathering. 

Separate meetings had also been held with Key officials of the Ministry of Industry &Trade and also with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic.

The Embassy of the Czech Republic in New Delhi had assisted the Chamber by providing contact details of potential buyers.

Further the Hony. Consul for Austria in Sri Lanka Senaka Amarasinghe who is also a Council Member of the NCE had assisted in the planning process of the delegation. 

Hony. Consulate of Sri Lanka in the Czech Republic Josef Pěnkava and Hony. Consulate of Czech Republic in Sri Lanka Dr. Lohitha Samarawickrama had provided logistic support to the delegates and coordinated the meetings with the Trade Chambers in the Prague. 

The commencement of weekly flights between Vienna and Colombo by the Austrian Airlines will also boost the potential between the two countries for Trade & Tourism. 

The evaluation of the Mission has provided mixed reactions from the delegates. Some of them have had fruitful meetings, while others have not achieved their requirements of getting connected with businesses that are directly related to their companies and product profiles. Nevertheless all delegates have agreed that the networking provided through the visits was very important, since it has provided them with links to explore future business opportunities.

The NCE which had prior meetings with the Tourism Development Authority, and the BOI in Sri Lanka, carried their messages and brochures, which were presented at the meetings with the Chambers in Prague and Vienna. 

The NCE provided the delegates with a full package deal covering Invitation letters to obtain visas, Air tickets, Airport Transfers, Transport to Birmingham, Hotel arrangements, and by setting up meetings.

The NCE had invited the members of the Associations that the delegates met in the two countries to visit Sri Lanka, which was accepted by them. The NCE looks forward to organise business meetings with its member exporters during their visits to Si Lanka. The Chamber is planning to organise the visit of the inward delegation at the end of February 2016. 

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Sri Lanka endorsed the Mission of the Chamber and provided the necessary support services.