USAID Mission Director for Sri Lanka and Maldives, Gabriel Grau highlighted that being a long-term partner and Sri Lanka’s largest export market, the United States supports efforts to boost exports and improve efficiency for businesses and government agencies. 

He added that the United States is committed to initiatives such as Sri Lanka’s Trade National Single Window System or TNSWS which makes trade more transparent and predictable, easing business challenges. 

Gabriel made these remarks while joining a workshop for 94 key Trade National Single Window System project stakeholders recently organised by the Department of Trade and Investment Policy of the Ministry of Finance, Economic Stabilization and National Policies in collaboration with the USAID.

Meanwhile, Secretary to the Ministry of Finance Mahinda Siriwardana noted that establishing a trade national single window system is crucial as Sri Lanka recovers from an unprecedented economic crisis. 

The recent workshop was aimed at enhancing participants’ understanding of how the single window system works and its benefits and also encouraged collaboration and sustainability in Sri Lanka’s TNSWS implementation.

Through the United States Agency for International Development, the United States is facilitating the implementation of Sri Lanka’s Trade National Single Window System or TNSWS. 

Aimed at modernising the country’s trade facilitation infrastructure, the TNSWS will streamline the collection of information required for trade, leading to increased transparency and efficiency, reduced costs, and more potential revenue.

Gabriel went on to say that the US is committed to initiatives like the TNSWS, which will make trade more transparent and predictable, easing business challenges.

As part of the World Trade Organization Trade Facilitation Agreement Sri Lanka signed in 2017, implementation of a TNSWS is required while its implementation received cabinet approval in 2022.