Country Profile
From The Report: Sri Lanka 2016
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Sri Lanka, the “Wonder of Asia”, formerly known as Ceylon, has long served as an important strategic destination in the Indian Ocean, catering to merchants and travellers from South-east Asia, India, the Middle East and East Africa. While much of the country’s recent history has been tainted by a decades-long civil war, post-conflict euphoria has brought a sense of renewal and optimism to the island nation. A new administration, elected in 2015, has pledged its commitment to inclusive governance and economic reform, as well as rebalancing its foreign policy and reconciling with the country’s ethnic minorities.

This chapter contains an interview with President Maithripala Sirisena, a viewpoint from Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, and interviews with Hugo Swire, Minister of State, British Foreign and Commonweath Office; and Arjun Bahadur Thapa, Secretary General, South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation.

Articles from this Chapter

Overview

A new beginning: Peace and stability usher in a period of change
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Sri Lanka, the “Wonder of Asia”, formerly known as Ceylon, has long served as an important strategic destination in the Indian Ocean, catering to merchants and travellers from South-east Asia, India, the Middle East and East Africa. The island was visited and marvelled at by the likes of Marco Polo, who called it “the finest island of its size in the world”, long before the arrival of imperialist nations. A rich colonial history, including Portuguese, Dutch and British rule, is visible in…

Interview

Sustainable growth and unity: OBG talks to President Maithripala Sirisena
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Interview: President Maithripala Sirisena Following the 2015 elections, what do you view as the most pressing priorities for political reform? PRESIDENT MAITHRIPALA SIRISENA: The people of Sri Lanka gave me a mandate at the presidential election held in January 2015 to take Sri Lanka on the path to progress as an awakened nation that values good governance, democracy, the rule of law and equal opportunities for all. As evident from our election manifesto, we are taking clear and resolute steps…

Viewpoint

New horizons: Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, on third-generation economic reform
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When we came to power, on the 8th of January 2015, Sri Lanka was caught in a tremendous and dangerous international quagmire. This was the result of a lack of foresight by the previous government. At Sri Lanka’s request, the recommendations made in the UN Human Rights Council had not been implemented and the danger of sanctions was looming over us. But that has changed – as a result of our efforts and a sincere exercise, we have been able to come out of that. The entire market of the world is…

Overview

From the ground up: Implementing major structural reforms poses a big challenge for the new administration
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Billed as a platform for ending corruption and nepotism at the highest levels of government, the presidential elections of January 2015 ended the controversial 10-year executive presidency of Mahinda Rajapaksa. The former president enjoyed enormous popularity in the aftermath of the country’s civil war and during the economic revival that followed, but was subsequently criticised for his gradual drift towards authoritarian rule. Election Results Elections in 2015 signified a new era for democracy…

Interview

Prosperous potential: OBG talks to Hugo Swire, Minister of State, UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office
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Interview: Hugo Swire How can Western countries support Sri Lanka as it enters a new stage in its political transition? HUGO SWIRE: President Sirisena’s election was a clear vote by the people of Sri Lanka for change, and the UK is determined to do all we can to support their aspirations. While much remains to be done, it has been a positive beginning to a transition that few had anticipated just 12 months ago. The best way in which the UK and the wider international community can help is by…

Interview

Regional ties: OBG talks to Arjun Bahadur Thapa, Secretary-General, South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC)
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Interview:Arjun Bahadur Thapa What are the most cumbersome barriers in the way of increased intra-SAARC trade volumes? ARJUN BAHADUR THAPA: Intra-SAARC trade volumes are not as low as generally perceived. For example, India, as the largest market in SAARC, trades substantially within the region. Both Nepal and Bhutan conduct more than 60% of their trade with India, while Sri Lanka and Bangladesh do around 22% each with India. Of course, significant potential remains to be tapped, and…