Business
Sri Lanka joins the global fight to protect our oceans
Greenpeace South Asia commends the Sri Lankan Cabinet of Minister’s approval for the proposal made by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism to sign the Agreement on Biodiversity in Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ).[1] This landmark decision represents a pivotal step towards addressing the escalating threats facing our oceans due to unregulated human activities in international waters.
“We commend Sri Lanka for its leadership in prioritizing the health of our oceans, especially as Chair of the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA). This move demonstrates a commitment to fostering collaboration across nations for the conservation of marine biodiversity,” said Anita Perera, Campaigner for Greenpeace South Asia.
By ratifying the BBNJ agreement, commonly known as the Global Oceans Treaty, Sri Lanka will have the opportunity to support large-scale marine protected areas, promote sustainable fisheries management, and encourage marine scientific research. This is particularly vital given the growing concerns over overexploitation, habitat degradation, and the loss of biodiversity in international waters.
The Treaty provides a robust mechanism to establish vast protected areas on the High Seas — beyond 200 nautical miles (370 kilometers) from the coastlines.[2] These zones will allow marine life to recover from industrial overfishing and pollution while fostering thriving ecosystems. A healthy ocean is essential not only for climate stability but also for sustaining the livelihoods of millions globally, including Sri Lanka’s coastal communities, fishers and seafarers.
Greenpeace South Asia also recognizes the challenges faced by developing nations like Sri Lanka, including limited financial resources and technical capacity, in implementing this landmark agreement. We strongly support the call for enhanced capacity-building efforts, resource-sharing, and international cooperation to ensure effective implementation.
Last year, Sri Lanka and the wider South Asia region faced devastating climate change impacts, including heatwaves, heavy rains, floods, mudslides, and coastal erosion. These disasters caused significant casualties and directly affected the economy. Our environment — encompassing the climate, forests, and oceans — is interconnected, with each system supporting the other. It is crucial for leaders to recognize these connections and prioritize the protection of ecosystems that can best mitigate climate change and extreme weather events.
In February 2024, Greenpeace’s iconic ship, the Rainbow Warrior, visited Sri Lanka, coinciding with the opening of the Greenpeace South Asia office in the country. This milestone marked a significant step in raising public awareness about ocean conservation and the critical importance of the United Nations’ BBNJ (Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction) Agreement for an island nation like Sri Lanka. A series of events were organized throughout 2024, including public awareness campaigns, social media outreach, and workshops for Civil Society Organizations to empower local groups with knowledge and advocacy tools. Greenpeace facilitated letters to presidential candidates, urging the prioritization of signing and ratifying the BBNJ Agreement, which establishes a legal framework for creating networks of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) as well as Environment Impact Assessment (EIAs) standards in areas beyond national jurisdiction, ensures fair sharing of benefits from Marine Genetic Resources (MGRs), and promotes capacity building, technology transfer, and sustainable funding mechanisms for marine conservation.
Company stresses ambition to surpass this milestone
Eyes markets across Africa and beyond
In a groundbreaking achievement for Sri Lanka’s IT and electronics manufacturing industry, EWIS Colombo Ltd, the country’s first and only local computer manufacturer, has successfully exported its first consignment of locally built laptops to Zimbabwe.
This landmark event not only positions Sri Lanka as an emerging force in global IT hardware manufacturing but also highlights EWIS’s commitment to innovation, quality, and excellence on the international stage.
This historic shipment, dispatched from EWIS’s state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Samajasewapura, Sooriyawewa, underscores the company’s dedication to delivering world-class technology solutions. With over 11 years of expertise in manufacturing and assembly, EWIS Colombo Ltd has played a pivotal role in driving Sri Lanka’s ICT sector forward. As a Board of Investment (BOI) Section 17-approved company, EWIS has established the country’s first and only local computer manufacturing plant, paving the way for the nation’s growth in high-tech exports.
Speaking on this momentous achievement, Sanjeewa Wickramanayake, Chairman of EWIS Colombo Ltd, said: “This milestone is not just for EWIS but for Sri Lanka as a whole. It proves that our country has the talent, capability, and ambition to manufacture and export high-quality IT products, competing confidently on the global stage. As we continue expanding beyond local markets, we take immense pride in showcasing Sri Lanka’s excellence in technology and innovation to the world. EWIS’s commitment to world-class quality is reinforced by its ISO 9001:2015, ISO 14001:2015, CE, FCC, and RoHS certifications, ensuring compliance with international quality, safety, and environmental standards.”
Speaking further he said:
“For nearly four decades, EWIS has been a trailblazer in Sri Lanka’s ICT sector, delivering cutting-edge solutions for education, businesses, and government enterprises.
With over 11 years of local manufacturing and assembly expertise, EWIS has continuously refined its capabilities to produce high-quality, internationally competitive IT hardware. The successful export to Zimbabwe represents a bold step toward expanding EWIS’s global footprint, reinforcing Sri Lanka’s potential as a world-class technology and manufacturing hub.”
Dialog Television, Sri Lanka’s #1 Pay-TV service provider, has partnered with Emerging Media to enhance the convenience and effectiveness of advertising. This collaboration brings together Dialog Television’s world-class entertainment, featuring 18 advertisable channels across genres such as movies, edutainment, kids, music, sports, and local content, with Emerging Media’s expertise in digital advertising and targeted marketing. This synergy creates a seamless platform for businesses to maximize brand exposure across multiple channels.
With a reach of over 1.7 million households, Dialog Television provides advertisers with a powerful avenue to engage diverse audiences. Brands can place advertisements on leading international and local channels such as &flix, Star Movies, TLC, Animal Planet, AXN, Zee Café, Comedy Central, Star Plus, A+, Nickelodeon, Star Vijay, Zee Tamil, Star Sports, Ten Cricket, Sony SIX, ThePapare TV, Channel One, Citi Hitz and Channel C. Through this partnership, Emerging Media will facilitate advertising sales, allowing businesses to target specific viewer segments while simplifying the media buying process with a single point of contact.
Commenting on the partnership, Lim Li San, Group Chief Operating Officer at Dialog Axiata PLC, stated, “As Sri Lanka’s premier Pay-TV service provider, we serve more than 1.7 million households with over 6 million pairs of captive eyeballs across Sri Lanka. Today, we are excited to embark on this partnership with Emerging Media to avail our Dialog Television platform and brand strength to provide quality advertisement exposure and customer engagement to local businesses across Sri Lanka.”
The International Institute of Health Sciences (IIHS), a pioneer in healthcare training for over 23 years, has partnered with the University of Surrey, UK, to revolutionise healthcare education in Sri Lanka and the broader South Asian region. This will create a world-class academic pathway for aspiring nursing and healthcare professionals, as well as young individuals seeking careers in the field. Under this agreement, IIHS and the University of Surrey will introduce a series of academic initiatives to enhance healthcare training and accessibility.
These include delivering internationally recognised nursing programmes that allow Sri Lankan and regional students to earn globally competitive qualifications in Sri Lanka.
Commenting on the move, Dr. Kithsiri Edirisinghe, CEO & Dean of Undergraduate Studies at IIHS, said: “This MOU marks a significant step in our mission to deliver world-class healthcare education to Sri Lanka and the region. IIHS remains dedicated to shaping the future of healthcare professionals and fostering global healthcare leadership.” Dr. Shelini Surendran, Associate Dean (International) at the University of Surrey, emphasised: “Sri Lanka is establishing itself as a regional education hub, and this partnership ensures students across Asia can access top-tier UK healthcare education at IIHS. By bridging academic excellence with accessibility, we provide students with a clear pathway to their professional goals.”
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