IN VIENNA: “We strengthened institutions”

‘Sri Lanka moving for industrial sustainability’-Rishad to Vienna

• Vienna’s 2^nd ISID Forum closes successfully
• ‘We strengthened institutions’-Rishad
• Mission 09, Haritha, among Lankan initiatives

Industrial development is a partnership based effort-and Sri Lanka tells the world’s topmost Industrial Forum in Vienna that inclusivity and sustainability goes hand-in-hand to this end, as stressed on 5 November in Vienna. “Sri Lanka is already moving in the direction of ISID. Substantial progress has been achieved by Sri Lanka in the area of sustainable development under the leadership of His Excellency the President, Mahinda Rajapaksa” said Rishad Bathiudeen (Minister of industry and Commerce of Sri Lanka) on 5 November in Vienna.

Minister Bathiudeen was addressing United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO)’s “Partnerships to scale up investment for Inclusive and Sustainable Industrial Development” Forum’s 5 November session held at Vienna International Centre, Vienna. The session aimed to showcase UNIDO’s Inclusive and Sustainable Industrial Development (ISID) programmes for Country Partnerships. Minister Bathiudeen was visiting Austria from 3-6 November at the invitation of LI Yong (Director General of UNIDO). Minister Bathiudeen was a discussant at the Forum on ISID at Vienna International Centre. Vienna ISID was the second of the two global forums convened by UNIDO in 2014. The forum packed 440 participants from 93 countries and was inaugurated by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.

“Sri Lanka is already moving in the direction of ISID, with several industries in specific sectors commencing to implement it successfully” said Minister Bathiudeen, and added: “Substantial progress has been achieved by Sri Lanka in the area of sustainable development under the leadership of His Excellency the President, Mahinda Rajapaksa.  Sri Lanka has formulated policies and programmes that could enable the achievement of ISID. We have strengthened the existing institutions and created new ones, tasked with the implementation of those policies and programmes in a result oriented manner. My Ministry of Industry and Commerce continues to play a significant role in the overall promotion of Sustainable Industrial Development.”

The development of National Action Plan on Haritha Lanka (Green Lanka) programme and the establishment of the National Council for Sustainable Development are among Sri Lanka’s recent ISID initiatives. The Ministry of Industry and Commerce also has the major responsibility of “Mission 09–Greening the Industries” initiative.

The Forum was also attended by (H.E) Hailemariam Desalegn (Prime Minister of Ethiopia), (H.E) Mahammed Dionne (Prime Minister of Senegal), and a large number of high ranking officials, Ambassadors, delegates, representatives of international organisations, the private sector and the media.