The Sri Lanka Export Development Board (EDB), in collaboration with the Asian Development Bank (ADB) under the Policy-Based project of the Ministry of Industry and Entrepreneurship Development, conducted a series of validation workshops for the National Export Development Plan (NEDP) 2025–2029 from January 12^th to 14^th, 2026.

The NEDP 2025–2029 aims to strengthen Sri Lanka’s trade competitiveness and promote export-led economic growth, taking into account recent developments in the global and regional trade environment as well as domestic trade dynamics. The Plan builds on the National Export Strategy 2018–2022, incorporating lessons learned to develop a forward-looking export development framework.

As part of the formulation process, stakeholder consultations were held from October 2^nd to 10^th, 2025, focusing on priority sector selection, regional trade linkages, addressing trade ecosystem bottlenecks, and aligning policy measures with implementation pathways.

The draft NEDP, shared by the ADB, is structured around six Strategic Objectives, including logistics and integrated hub operations, trade facilitation, trade finance and investment, trade promotion and market linkages, quality management and ESG, and skills development, entrepreneurship and innovation.

Senior officials from relevant ministries and institutions participated in the workshops to review and validate the proposed Plans of Action. The workshops mark a key step toward finalizing a National Export Development Plan to guide Sri Lanka’s export sector growth.