The Department of Commerce officially launched Integrity Week 2026 on 27 July 2026 with an opening ceremony attended by the Director General of Commerce (Actg.), Mr. Somasena Mahadiulwewa, the Head of the Internal Affairs Unit (IAU), Mr. Jagath Abeywarna, senior officers, and staff of the Department.
Addressing the gathering, Director General of Commerce (Actg.) Mr. Somasena Mahadiulwewa emphasized that integrity is the foundation of an effective and trusted public service. He noted that the Department remains committed to strengthening transparency, accountability, and good governance while continuously improving its service delivery through digital transformation, innovation, and meaningful stakeholder engagement. He further stated that these efforts support the Government's vision of building a clean, efficient, and citizen-focused public service.
Speaking at the event, Mr. Jagath Abeywarna highlighted the key initiatives undertaken as part of Integrity Week 2026, including the establishment of the Internal Affairs Unit (IAU), integrity awareness programmes for officers, and stakeholder-driven improvements to the Electronic Certificate of Origin (eCOO) system. He noted that these initiatives are intended to further strengthen institutional integrity and enhance the quality and efficiency of the Department's services.
A key milestone of the opening ceremony was the formal establishment of the Internal Affairs Unit (IAU) and the opening of its dedicated office within the Department. To reinforce the objectives of Integrity Week, official awareness posters carrying the national theme, "A Culture of Integrity – A Strong Sri Lanka," have been displayed throughout the Department. A key feature of this year's programme is the Department's ongoing initiative to further strengthen its Electronic Certificate of Origin (eCOO) system through stakeholder engagement. Registered eCOO users were invited to submit suggestions and recommendations to enhance the quality, efficiency, transparency, and user-friendliness of the system. The initiative received an overwhelming response from the export community, and the Department has already commenced implementing appropriate improvements to further enhance its electronic certification services.
As part of the week's programme, an awareness lecture titled "Integrity and Ethical Conduct in the Public Service" was conducted for officers at the Department headquarters and Commercial Officers attached to Sri Lanka Missions overseas through a hybrid platform. The session was delivered by Dr. Tharindu Dananjaya Weerasinghe, Senior Lecturer, Department of Human Resource Management, Faculty of Commerce and Management Studies, University of Kelaniya, an experienced trainer and author specializing in leadership, people management, organizational development, and ethics.
Through these initiatives, the Department of Commerce continues to strengthen institutional integrity, improve public service delivery, and promote a culture of transparency, accountability, and continuous improvement in support of Sri Lanka's trade and export development.
