Rise & Fall Of Nationalism In North & South
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An ethos of consultation is necessary

The new government’s approach to major national issues appears to be one of caution and of continuing in the direction set by its predecessor. This is most clearly visible in its adherence to the IMF agreement and its strict conditions. The government has also retained key officials dealing with the economy despite having subjected them…

September Remittances Reach US$ 556 Million
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September Remittances Reach US$ 556 Million

Sri Lankans working abroad sent back US$ 555.6 million in September 2024, marking a 15.2% increase from the same month last year, according to recent data. This brings the total remittances for the first nine months of the year to US$ 4.84 billion, an 11.5% rise compared to 2023. While September’s figures show a slight…

pensioners
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Over 717,000 Active Government Pensioners by September 2024

As of September 2024, the total number of active government pensioners in Sri Lanka stands at 717,347, according to the Department of Pensions. These pensioners include 392,966 civil service pensioners, 187,913 widows and orphans fund pensioners, and 136,468 retired military personnel. Over the first nine months of the year, the total expenditure for pensions amounted…

debt restructuring
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Sri Lanka Reaches Milestone in Debt Restructuring with Bondholders and Bilateral Creditors

Sri Lanka has made significant progress in its debt restructuring efforts, finalizing a key agreement in September 2024 with international sovereign bondholders (ISBs) and bilateral creditors, including China, India, and Japan. This agreement marks a crucial step in the country’s economic recovery following its 2022 sovereign default and the subsequent economic crisis. International Sovereign Bonds…

High-Level IMF Team Meets Sri Lankan Government to Discuss Economic Reforms
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High-Level IMF Team Meets Sri Lankan Government to Discuss Economic Reforms

A high-level delegation from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) arrived in Sri Lanka to engage with the newly formed government led by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake. The primary objective of the visit was to initiate discussions on the progress of the IMF Program and necessary steps towards the release of the fourth tranche of the…

JICA and Pres. Office Focus on BIA Development
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JICA and Pres. Office Focus on BIA Development

The Chief Representative of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), Yamada Tetsuya, along with a delegation of senior representatives, met with the Secretary to the President Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake, At the Presidential Secretariat. The discussion focused on the second phase of the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) Development Project, implemented by JICA, and the immediate…

S.Jaishankar
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Two High-Level Visits to Sri Lanka This Week

India and IMF

Sri Lanka is set to host two significant diplomatic engagements this week, marking the first high-level interactions with newly elected President Anura Kumara Dissanayake. Indian External Affairs Minister, S. Jaishankar, will visit Colombo for the first high-level engagement between India and Sri Lanka following President Dissanayake’s election. This visit is crucial for reaffirming India’s commitment…

Ahilan Kadirgamar
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Sri Lanka’s new president faces a problem shared by too many developing countries: austerity imposed by the west

Dr. Ahilan Kadirgamar

Sri Lanka is at a historic juncture. Faced with its worst economic crisis since the Great Depression and having defaulted on its external debt for the first time, the country recently saw unprecedented protests demanding systemic change. The former president Gotabaya Rajapaksa was literally chased away in 2022, as protesters stormed his residence and swam…

solar systems
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Santhoshpuram Tribals Lose Their Homes Due to Solar Power Project

Solar Power Project

The East Coast Sea Aborigines are a marginalized group living along the coastline from Muthur in Trincomalee to Vakarai in Batticaloa. Following military conflicts in the area, particularly the Mavilaru humanitarian operation in 2006, many people from villages, including Santhoshpuram, were forced to leave. When they returned in 2009, the government allocated 200 acres of…

imf lanka c news sinhala
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IMF team to visit SL in two weeks

President Ranil Wickremesinghe has announced that IMF representatives are scheduled to visit Sri Lanka in two weeks to disburse the next instalment of funds, as outlined in the agreement between the Sri Lankan government and the International Monetary Fund. The President emphasised that on September 21, the public will have to decide whether to approve…