Advisory Committee Meeting

IPS set up an Advisory Committee for the study on “South Asian Country Study on Products with Regional Trade Potential and Associated Non-tariff Barriers, with Special Focus on Women Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (WMSMEs)  A Case of Sri Lanka” to provide guidance and technical input to the IPS research team to ensure the policy relevance and quality of research outputs.

The first Advisory Committee meeting was held on October 14^th, 2014 at the IPS Conference Room with the presence of Mr. Lakshman Wijeyewardena (Director, National Enterprise Development Authority), Ms. Dayani Wegapitiya (Director, Policy and Planning-Export Development Board), Mr. N. K. A Rupasinghe (Director General, Department of Export Agriculture), Ms. Nilanthi Wijewickrama (Representative, Spice Council of Sri Lanka), Mr Asitha Kodituwakuge (Livelihood/LED specialist UNDP Sri Lanka) and Mr. Wasamba Jayasekara (Chairman, Ceylon Coir Fibre Exporters’ Association). Dr. Janaka Wijayasiri, Research Fellow, chaired the meeting and briefed the members on the study. Sunimalee Madurawala, Research Officer, presented the proposed study, which included background, objectives, methodology, methodological issues, quality of research and work-plan. Dilani Hirimuthugodage and Dharshani Premaratne, Research Officers, together with Piyumi Gamage, Maryam Noordeen and Hiruni Wijethunga, Project Officers, participated in the discussions at the event. This study is part of a larger regional study led by UNDP Asia- Pacific Regional Centre with funding from AusAID.