Eleven companies have been awarded with grant certificates worth $1.7m under National Export Strategy Assistance.

Trade Minister Faiyaz Koya while presenting the certificates says these grant disbursement are attest to the 12-year partnership that government and NES have forged.

He adds the 11 companies will utilize the grant to assist in the upgrading of infrastructure and procurement of machines and equipment.

“The strategy was established with a purpose to achieve sustainable economic growth by encouraging competition and value and value addition and export diversification in areas where we have competitive advantage.”

Koya says NES is a result oriented based initiative and is set to encourage diversification and add value to exports.