Economic Diplomacy

Sri Lanka’s new national mineral policy points the right way. But can the existing system deliver it?

Economic Diplomacy4 days ago134Views 0Likes 0Comments

Hasarel Gallage In June 2026, Sri Lanka launched its new National Mineral Policy after 27 years, proposing a national inventory of mineral resources, aiming for domestic value addition before export, and bringing seabed minerals into the policy's scope, something its 1999 predecessor did not do. On paper, this looks like real progress. But a policy…

Marine Technologies in the Maldives: Applications for Sri Lanka’s Maritime Protection

Climate and environment, Economic Diplomacy, Maritime Security, Science and Technology, UncategorizedNovember 1, 2026155Views 0Likes 0Comments

By Roshelle Fernando The Maldives and Sri Lanka share a common challenge. Both depend heavily on the ocean for their economies, livelihoods, and national security, yet their maritime areas are far larger than their capacity to monitor them continuously. The Maldives, an archipelagic state with an extensive exclusive economic zone (EEZ), relies on the ocean…

From National Champions to Public Owners: What Dangote’s IPO Means for the Global South

Economic DiplomacyOctober 11, 2026273Views 2Likes 0Comments

Mark Dekpe Dangote’s “People’s IPO” widens access to a major African enterprise. Yet national belonging, share ownership, corporate control, and wealth redistribution are not the same. Across Africa and South Asia, large companies are often presented as symbols of national development and economic sovereignty. Their significance will depend on whether public identification becomes durable material…

Myths and realities of Sri Lanka’s proposed ban on raw mineral exports: What would it take for Sri Lanka to add value to its minerals?

Economic Diplomacy, Science and TechnologySeptember 27, 2026892Views 0Likes 0Comments

Hasarel Gallage Sri Lanka's new National Mineral Policy presents a zealous ambition. By calling for a ban on exporting minerals without value addition, it provides an appealing target to maximise Sri Lanka’s profits earned from its mineral resources. But a closer look beyond the buzzwords reveals a more complicated picture marred by industrial realities and…

Balancing Powers: A New Direction for Bangladesh’s Foreign Policy

Economic Diplomacy, International Development, Regional GeopoliticsSeptember 20, 2026600Views 0Likes 0Comments

Kawsar Mia and Abdul Momen Bangladesh should stop treating foreign policy as a choice between rival camps. A more durable strategy is to build a diversified portfolio of partnerships, using different countries for trade, technology, connectivity, labour mobility and finance, while keeping strategic dependence on any single power to a minimum. Foreign Policy Should Be…

From Precarity to Modern Slavery: What Sri Lanka Needs to Know

Economic DiplomacyAugust 23, 2026396Views 1Like 0Comments

By Gayani Samarakoon Precarious work remains a major global concern despite strong legal frameworks and multi-stakeholder initiatives such as International Labor Organization (ILO) conventions and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, which aim to promote decent work. Yet new, increasingly insecure forms of work continue to emerge. In Sri Lanka, platform work, operating…