President of NCE Sarada De Silva to address WTO, STFD, WIPO, ITC & ILO in Geneva

President of the National Chamber of Exports of Sri Lanka (NCE) Sarada De Silva has been invited by the World Trade Organisation (WTO) Standard and Trade Development Facility (STDF) in Geneva to make a presentation to officials of the WTO, STDF, United Nations Industrial development Organization (UNIDO), International Trade Center (ITC) , World Intellectual Property Office (WIPO) and International Labour organisation(ILO) regarding the  successful implementation of the UNIDO /WTO/STDF Cinnamon Project in Sri Lanka , on the 21st of June 2016. 

This is the first time an agricultural project of this nature has been implemented in Sri Lanka. 

Permanent Representative of  Sri Lanka to the WTO, H .E. R.D.S. Kumaratne will deliver the introduction and a brief key note address, and Project Manager of UNIDO Ali Badarneh will make a presentation of the role played by UNIDO  in the Cinnamon Project in Sri Lanka.  

Kenza Le Mentec of the STDF will make a presentation on the WTO/STDF financing of the Cinnamon Project in Sri Lanka which is a three year project that has been successfully implemented. 

During his stay in Geneva the NCE president will meet with WTO,STDF ,and UNIDO officials to discuss assistance for three new projects of the  cinnamon industry, to:

Facilitate the establishment of a sustainable infrastructure for the Ceylon Cinnamon Industry.  

Provide support to the Cinnamon Training Academy(CTA) to become a “Centre of Excellence” 

Introduce an integrated climate change mitigation  and resource efficient scheme for the Cinnamon Production Center in Sri Lanka

He will also meet with WIPO officials in regard to support for Geographical Indications (GI) of Ceylon Cinnamon, and the Madrid Protocol Agreement. He will also meet the ambassadors of Mexico and Colombia to Switzerland to share their experiences regarding successful GI protection for Mexican Tequila, and Colombian Coffee, and to learn from their experiences on the implementation of GI for Ceylon Cinnamon.   

President of the NCE Sarada De Silva will meet International Trade Centre officials to discuss implementation of the the European Union funding program to increase SME Trade Competiveness in Regional and EU Markets 2016-2019. He will also take to opportunity to lobby for assistance for the National institute of Exports (NIOE) set up by the NCE to confer professional qualifications related to the field of Exports, to ensure its financial stability and sustainability.

De Silva is also set to meet ILO officials to lobby for assistance for the Cinnamon Training Academy which is now operational, to facilitate NVQ standards covering   Levels 3 and 4, actors in the cinnamon industry. 

The Cinnamon Training Academy now awaits the release of Rs. 50 million by the Ministry of Primary Industries that was granted bythe National Budget for 2016 for its second-stage development activities.