The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Sri Lanka and the Ministry of Industry and Entrepreneurship Development (MoIED) have entered into a strategic partnership aimed at strengthening the Ministry’s technical and institutional capacity and accelerating Sri Lanka’s industrial transformation.

The partnership was formalised through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) establishing an Expert Support Unit within the Ministry. The unit will provide specialised technical, analytical and coordination expertise to support industrial development, entrepreneurship, SME competitiveness and evidence-based policymaking.

The MoU was signed by J. M. Thilaka Jayasundara, Secretary of the Ministry of Entrepreneurship Development, and Azusa Kubota, Resident Representative of UNDP in Sri Lanka, in the presence of Chathuranga Abeysinghe, Deputy Minister of Industry and Entrepreneurship Development.

Expert Support Unit to Drive Key Industrial Priorities

The newly established Expert Support Unit will provide support across several priority areas, including SME development, industrial zone development, trade and policy, digital transformation, data analytics, skills development and international relations.

Sri Lanka’s industrial sector remains an important contributor to economic growth, employment generation and export competitiveness. As the responsibilities of the Ministry continue to expand, the Expert Support Unit is expected to provide targeted expertise to improve programme implementation, policy development, stakeholder engagement and strategic coordination.

Deputy Minister Chathuranga Abeysinghe said that Sri Lanka’s ambitions for industrial growth, entrepreneurship and export competitiveness require institutions equipped with appropriate expertise and innovative approaches.

He noted that the partnership with UNDP will strengthen the Ministry’s ability to develop and implement forward-looking policies, support entrepreneurs and industries, and respond more effectively to emerging economic challenges and opportunities.

Strengthening Government Capacity and Policy Implementation

Drawing on UNDP’s experience in government capacity building, the initiative will enable the Ministry to access technical specialists more rapidly while improving systems for project management, monitoring, reporting and performance measurement.

The partnership will also seek to mobilise support from development partners and private-sector stakeholders, with the aim of ensuring that the initiative delivers sustainable and measurable results.

UNDP Resident Representative Azusa Kubota said the organisation is pleased to support the Ministry through an agile, results-oriented mechanism that brings specialised expertise directly into government systems.

She highlighted the potential of the Ministry’s reform agenda to contribute to job creation, stronger integration into global value chains and sustainable economic growth, while emphasising the importance of building the institutional capabilities required to achieve these objectives.

Multidisciplinary Expertise for Long-Term Development

The Expert Support Unit is expected to comprise a multidisciplinary team of specialists who will work alongside the Ministry to support strategic initiatives. Beyond providing immediate technical assistance, the initiative is designed to promote knowledge transfer and strengthen institutional capabilities over the long term.

The collaboration between UNDP and the Ministry represents a significant step towards enhancing Sri Lanka’s institutional readiness for industrial transformation, while supporting a more competitive SME sector, stronger entrepreneurship ecosystem and evidence-based approach to economic policymaking.