Daraz commits to boosting digital economy in Sri Lanka

Daraz Group Chief Executive Officer Bjarke Mikkelsen hands over plaque to Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa in recognition of valuable partnership with Daraz and Government of Sri Lanka

Daraz CEO and Founder Bjarke Mikkelsen visited Sri Lanka on February 14 and 15, 2022 and held an exclusive meeting with Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa. 

The meeting touched upon the growth of e-commerce in Sri Lanka, the increasing digital transition of consumers and sellers and Daraz’s commitment to harness the industry’s potential and to support Sri Lanka’s digital economy.
The meeting was held in the presence of Co-Ordinating Secretary to Prime Minister Charith Wijesinghe, Daraz Sri Lanka Managing Director/Country Head Rakhil Fernando, Daraz Sri Lanka Chief Operating Officer Darshika Attanayake, Daraz Sri Lanka Head of Public Policy Anishka De Zylva and Daraz Sri Lanka Head of Administration, Procurement and Government Relations Malith Ranadewa.

During the meeting, Mikkelsen extended an invitation to the Government of Sri Lanka for Alibaba’s New Economy Workshop in China, which targets policymakers and regulators (barring COVID-19 restrictions). Mikkelsen and the Daraz team also highlighted the key initiatives being undertaken by the company to further empower local communities including sellers, women entrepreneurs and online shoppers.

Moreover, in line with the government’s vision for economic revival, the Daraz team discussed their focus on building an ecosystem that will support job creation in the e-commerce industry, while creating greater accessibility for all 
Sri Lankans.

“We see a vast untapped e-commerce opportunity in Sri Lanka and Daraz is committed to helping the government realise the potential of the digital economy. Seller and consumer education, expanding financial inclusion and activating rural communities will be some of our top focus areas in the coming years. We are delighted to work closely with the government on these initiatives as e-commerce becomes an increasingly vital industry for the country,” said Mikkelsen.

Daraz Sri Lanka aims to host at least 100,000 active and engaged small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) selling on its platform, which in turn could translate to at least 300,000-400,000 new jobs in Sri Lanka.