AHK Sri Lanka

As part of the Export Initiative Environmental Protection funded by the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMU), the Delegation of German Industry and Commerce in Sri Lanka (AHK Sri Lanka) organised a knowledge transfer initiative to Colombo in 2022 together with the German Water Partnership e. V.

The thematic focus was: ‘Capacity building in the field of water management in Sri Lanka: Supporting the Sri Lankan water authority (NWSDB) in establishing a sustainable drinking water supply and identifying adequate sources of financing.’

The aim of this initiative was an active transfer of expertise. This should enable representatives of the Sri Lankan water sector to build sustainable capacities and thus promote the development of a safe and urgently needed water supply system.

In addition to an integrated technical conference in Colombo, which was attended by decision-makers from the public sector and the Sri Lankan economy, selected facilities were visited, including in particular water treatment plants in Sri Lanka.

The centrepiece of the initiative, however, was a hybrid workshop series. This consisted of a two-day face-to-face training course in Colombo and several e-learning modules, which were carried out in the following weeks.

The programme was a success despite the difficult conditions in Sri Lanka. A total of 25 junior staff from the Sri Lankan water authority were trained. The majority of them stated that they were able to apply the newly acquired knowledge in their day-to-day work. A permanent exchange mechanism was also established with the founding of the sector-specific water committee. The initiative helped to improve the structural conditions for sustainable investment and raise the profile of German environmental technologies in the target country.