Prime Minister urges UNDP assistance to develop small and medium sector enterprises

Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena yesterday urged the United Nations Development Program to increase assistance to development of small and medium enterprises of rural community based organisations. He also urged support for community enterprises of the urban poor.

Gunawardena made this request when UNDP Deputy Regional Director for Asia and Pacific Christophe Bahuet called on him at the Prime Minister’s Office.

“We assure continuous support to Sri Lanka, a country we consider as an important partner,” Bahuet said recalling the close partnership since 1967. He said that he paid a visit to several centres where UNDP programs are being implemented and expressed satisfaction of the progress made. 

He added that the productive and creative work carried out by the Citra Social Innovation Lab, which was set up with UNDP support was highly impressive and expressed confidence that the Citra Lab would successfully respond to the current socioeconomic crisis as it strongly focuses on public sector innovation.

The Prime Minister thanked Bahuet for the UNDP’s assistance to development activities in Sri Lanka. He also thanked for the support for renewable energy sector and environmental projects under the Green Climate Fund of which the UNDP is an Accredited Agency.

Secretary to the Prime Minister Anura Dissanayake and UNDP Policy Specialist Fadhil Bakeer Markar were also present on this occasion.