Category: South Asia
Japan Gifts 1.45 million Astra Zeneca Vaccines; expected to arrive in Sri Lanka soon
The Government of Japan has decided to provide 1.45 million doses of AstraZeneca vaccine manufactured in Japan to Sri Lanka through the COVAX Facility of the World Health Organization (WHO) to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 in Sri Lanka. The vaccines are expected to arrive in Sri Lanka from Japan during the coming weeks. […]
South Asia Must Reform State-Owned Banks & Enterprises to Avert Next Financial Crisis: WB
South Asia’s heavy reliance on state-owned commercial banks, state-owned enterprises, public-private partnerships and other national and sub-national public entities conceals its vulnerability to accumulating unsustainable levels of debt, according to a new World Bank report, Hidden Debt: Solutions to Avert the Next Financial Crisis in South Asia, released today. South Asia is more exposed to the risk […]
Palitha Kohona formally presents Credentials to Chinese President
Ambassador Dr. Palitha Kohona presented Letters of Credence to President of the People’s Republic of China Xi Jinping on 14 April 2021 at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.He also formally handed over the letter of recall of the former Ambassador. By the presentation of the credentials, Dr. Kohona has been formally recognised […]
Sri Lanka is not renegotiating Hambantota port lease deal with China: report
Sri Lanka’s ambassador to China Palitha Kohona has dismissed suggestions that the country is planning to extend a 99-year lease it granted to Beijing to run Hambantota port. Palitha Kohona said in an interview with the South China Morning Post that his country would “never be an unsinkable aircraft carrier posing a threat to anyone […]
Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa to undertake state visit to Bangladesh
Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa will make a state visit to Bangladesh from March 19-20, 2021, on an invitation extended by the Prime Minister of Bangladesh Sheikh Hasina. The visit will coincide with the celebration of the birth centenary of the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and the Golden Jubilee of the Independence […]
Smarter food policy could boost health and economic recovery of Asian cities
Across the world, the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the critical importance of reliable food systems that provide healthy and affordable diets to all. That is true also in Asia where cities, large and small, contend with a wide range of food-related issues on a daily basis but often lack a dedicated or coherent set of […]
Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan to visit Sri Lanka next week
Prime Minister of Pakistan, Imran Khan is scheduled to undertake an official visit to Sri Lanka on 23-24 February 2021 on the invitation of Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa. During his visit, Prime Minister Imran Khan will attend bilateral meetings with President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, while several other high-level engagements are planned, […]
“India will always be a dependable partner and reliable friend to Sri Lanka” says EAM Dr. S. Jaishankar
Visiting Minister of External Affairs of India Dr. S.Jaishankar held bilateral talks with Foreign Minister Dinesh Gunawardena yesterday and discussed multiple areas of bilateral cooperation was taken up, including economic, financial, trade and investment cooperation, cultural exchanges, defence and security, development cooperation as well as Covid 19 pandemic response. Both sides agreed to continue the […]
Sri Lanka raises concerns on reference to SL in OHCHR press release
Jun 09, 2020 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Acting Permanent Representative to the United Nations in Geneva, Dayani Mendis, in a letter addressed to the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet, has raised concerns regarding the allegations made in a press release issued by the High Commissioner on 03 June 2020 regarding “clampdown” […]
50 stranded Pakistanis repatriated via Sri Lankan Airlines
Apr 28, 2020 (LBO) – Pakistan High Commission in Colombo has coordinated with Sri Lankan Authorities for the successful return of 50 stranded Pakistanis via Sri Lankan Airlines flight UL-1185 that left Colombo today morning. Pakistan High Commission in Colombo said in a statement that the Deputy High Commissioner, Tanvir Ahmad was present to see […]
WB, IMF call on bilateral creditors to suspend debt payments from IDA countries
Mar 25, 2020 (LBO) – World Bank Group and the International Monetary Fund call on all official bilateral creditors to suspend debt payments from IDA countries that request forbearance. 76 countries are currently eligible to receive IDA resources.Bolivia, Sri Lanka, and Vietnam graduated from IDA at the end of FY17, but will receive transitional support […]
‘s revised 2020 forecast highlight no growth in Japan and Singapore, slow-down in China
Mar 17, 2020 (LBO) – Moody’s Investors Service has revised its forecasts for most APAC economies on coronavirus implications, incorporating ongoing travel restrictions and heightened containment measures, as well as the recent oil price shocks. “Our baseline scenario assumes declining consumption levels and continuing disruptions to production and supply chains in the first half of […]