Author: Ashanthi Ratnasingham
UNDP Sri Lanka and Visa Partner to advance financial inclusion for women and youth in estate communities
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Sri Lanka and Visa have announced a new partnership to strengthen financial inclusion and economic empowerment among women and youth in estate communities, beginning with a pilot initiative in Hope Estate, Hewaheta in Nuwara Eliya. To mark the partnership, a signing ceremony took place between Azusa Kubota, Resident […]
Applications open for inaugural Geoffrey Bawa Moonamal award
The Geoffrey Bawa Moonamal Award has opened the call for applications for its inaugural Award cycle. Presented in partnership with the Wildlife and Nature Protection Society of Sri Lanka, the Award invites individuals and organisations across the country to submit implemented projects that demonstrate how human needs can be met while enabling nature and ecosystems […]
Facebook still rules Sri Lanka’s social media, but TikTok is closing in
Facebook remains the most used social media platform among Sri Lankan internet users, holding an 81% share according to the newly released Digital Outlook Sri Lanka 2026 report. YouTube follows at 72%, while TikTok has climbed to 48%, up 6 percentage points from last year. Instagram rounds out the top four at 42%. The bigger […]
ADB pumps in USD 200mn to shield Sri Lanka from Middle East shock
Sri Lanka is set to receive a $200 million boost from the Asian Development Bank, part of a wider $450 million regional package aimed at cushioning Asia-Pacific economies from the fallout of the Middle East conflict. The loan comes under ADB’s Trade, Investment, and Industry Development Program, and includes $100 million in fresh financing specifically […]
John Keells Holdings Q1 earnings surge 26% to Rs. 16.35bn, Turns profitable on Port and consumer strength
John Keells Holdings’ first-quarter results for FY2026/27 point to a conglomerate whose recovery is now being driven by genuine operating strength rather than one-off gains, though the numbers also expose which parts of the group are still working through headwinds. Recurring EBITDA rose 26% year-on-year to Rs. 16.35 billion, and the swing from a Rs. […]
Sri Lanka moves back into upper-middle income bracket, World Bank says
Sri Lanka has been reclassified as an upper-middle income economy by the World Bank, a milestone officials are calling hard-won but fragile because the country has been here before, and lost the status within a year. The change was confirmed in the World Bank Group’s Country Income Classifications for the fiscal year running from 1 […]
Sri Lanka’s inflation hits 6.8-pct in June
Sri Lanka’s inflation problem isn’t going away anytime soon. June’s headline number came in at 6.8% year-on-year, up from 5.5% in May, and the drivers are exactly what most people already feel when they fill up their tank or do their weekly grocery run. Energy costs remain the main villain here. The Middle East conflict […]
IMF tells Sri Lanka there is no room to ease up
Sri Lanka’s economic recovery, hard-won through years of painful reform, is now facing its next real test and the IMF’s latest visit makes clear that the country’s ability to hold steady will depend as much on discipline as it does on circumstance. An IMF mission team visited Colombo from 24 to 30 June 2026, assessing […]
Janathakshan and Coca-Cola Foundation conclude a high-impact plastic waste management project
Janathakshan GTE Ltd, with funding support from The Coca-Cola Foundation, has successfully concluded the project “Strengthening Women and Youth Engagement in Informal Waste Management in Sri Lanka (SWYFT)”. Running from August 2024 to May 2026 across the Kandy, Nuwara Eliya, Matale, and Kurunegala districts, this multi-district initiative significantly strengthened plastic waste management systems and championed […]
Amana Takaful PLC concludes rights issue, Raises over Rs. 1Bn amid strong shareholder demand
Amana Takaful PLC has successfully closed its Rights Issue, raising more than Rs. 1 billion through the allotment of over 52.8 million new ordinary voting shares priced at Rs. 19 each. The offer, extended exclusively to existing shareholders, was oversubscribed by 68.8%, signaling solid investor confidence in the company’s direction. The response builds on a […]
President Dissanayake meets CHEC Chairman, Reaffirms commitment to foreign investment
President Anura Kumara Dissanayake met with the Chairman of China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC), Mr Bai Yinzhan and a delegation from the company this morning (13) at the Presidential Secretariat. During the meeting, Mr Bai Yinzhan stated that President Dissanayake’s “direct and visionary leadership” had greatly enhanced the company’s confidence in investing in Sri Lanka. […]
Sri Lanka and France strengthen bilateral relations at second round of political consultations
The Second round of Political consultations between Sri Lanka and France was held on 9th June 2026, virtually. The consultations were co-chaired by Director-General of the Europe and North America Division of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism of Sri Lanka, Sugeeshwara Gunaratna and Director for Asia & Oceania in the Ministry for Europe […]