Health and Economic Cooperation

Factum Perspective: America first, Asia divided: How Trump’s trade push is splintering ASEAN

Health and Economic Cooperation, Regional GeopoliticsNovember 9, 2025349Views 0Likes 0Comments

By Jayson Cainglet When U.S. President Donald Trump returned to the world stage at the 47th ASEAN Summit in October, his message was loud and clear: America is open for business—but only on his terms. While headlines focused on the spectacle of Trump’s renewed bravado and China’s call for free trade, the real action happened behind closed doors. In…

Factum Perspective: A Nod to the Past, A Look To The Future: WHO Chief’s Review of Sri Lanka’s Public Health Legacy and the Road Ahead

Health and Economic CooperationNovember 2, 2025481Views 1Like 0Comments

By Gerard Dinith Mendis “With rare exceptions, all of the most important achievements will come from working with others, or, in better words, in service to others.” — Paul Farmer Few nations have embodied that conviction more fully than Sri Lanka. Long before global health equity became the language of conferences and frameworks, the…

Factum Special Perspective: Will Trump Tariffs Signal Trade Re-Alignment?

Health and Economic Cooperation, International DevelopmentAugust 6, 20251KViews 1Like 0Comments

By Dinouk Colombage The recently announced tariff rates by US President Donald Trump have left many countries either unimpressed or breathing a sigh of relief for what some would describe as merely “a stay of execution.” 69 trading partners have been presented with revised tariffs, ranging from 50 to 10 percent, with the median being…

Factum Perspective: Facing the Far Right – Rethinking Sri Lanka’s Foreign Policy

Health and Economic Cooperation, Peace and ConflictApril 20, 20251KViews 0Likes 0Comments

By Nimendra Mawalagedara The recently imposed US tariffs on Sri Lanka are not merely an economic challenge - they are a signal of a transformation in the contemporary global political landscape. These tariffs should not be understood merely as trade measures, but also as political symbols that reflect the Trump administration’s broader diplomatic style, characterized…

Factum Perspective: Trump Tariffs and Sri Lankan Agrifood Exports to the US

Health and Economic CooperationApril 12, 20251KViews 2Likes 0Comments

By Lahiru Thilakarathna Is the Sri Lankan agrifood export sector in trouble due to the ongoing tariff encounters with the United States, and if so, to what extent? The answer depends on several factors, and a precise quantitative forecast of the effects is not possible given insufficient data. However, a general forecast of outcomes can…

Factum Special Perspective: Trump Tariffs Signal Increase in Geopolitical Tensions

Health and Economic Cooperation, International DevelopmentApril 9, 2025850Views 1Like 0Comments

By Dinouk Colombage Coated under the guise of economic rebalancing, the US tariffs have been described as a complete disregard of the rule-based order (RBO) that has governed global politics since the conclusion of the Second World War. On April 2, Donald Trump unveiled what he termed “reciprocal tariffs” for over 90 countries including China,…

Factum Special Perspective: Modi in Sri Lanka

Health and Economic Cooperation, Regional GeopoliticsApril 2, 20251KViews 0Likes 0Comments

By Uditha Devapriya Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to land in Sri Lanka on Friday, April 4. Over the next two days he is expected to engage with the Sri Lankan government over several agreements and pacts, encompassing trade, health, education, energy, and of course defense. News reports point to six agreements in…

Factum Perspective: Sri Lanka Foreign Policy 2025 – Laying Low and Continuing the Balancing Act

Belt Road Initiative and Indo-Pacific Policy, Health and Economic Cooperation, International DevelopmentFebruary 16, 20254KViews 2Likes 0Comments

By Sachintha Pilapitiya Sri Lanka has often stressed its principle of "friendship towards all, enmity towards none" in its diplomacy. In 2024, under two ideologically contrasting governments, Sri Lanka reflected the possibility of maintaining this foreign policy goal intact. In this article, I conduct a short review of Sri Lanka’s foreign policy in 2024, followed…

Factum Perspective: Superstition and Science in Governance and Global Health

Health and Economic Cooperation, Peace and ConflictJanuary 5, 2025940Views 0Likes 0Comments

By Gerard Dinith Mendis In an age where scientific breakthroughs define the trajectory of human progress, a concerning global trend has emerged: skepticism toward science and the resurgence of superstitious rhetoric in political leadership. Leaders are increasingly leaning on pseudoscience and cultural mysticism, often at the expense of evidence-based policymaking. This shift not only threatens…

Factum Perspective: Mexico and North America – Trade Challenges and Opportunities in a Volatile Global Environment

Health and Economic CooperationDecember 15, 2024986Views 1Like 0Comments

By Aarón Antonio Arreola Burgos International trade is undergoing profound changes driven by geopolitical tensions, protectionist dynamics, and an increasing regionalization of supply chains. In this context, trade relations between Mexico and North America play a pivotal role, with the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) as the cornerstone of economic integration. However, the prospect of a…

Factum Perspective: Sri Lanka’s Economic Future – Lessons from Malaysia, the Role of Bretton Woods Institutions, and the potential of BRICS Membership

Health and Economic Cooperation, International DevelopmentNovember 17, 2024987Views 0Likes 0Comments

By Kividi Koralage Malaysia’s economic journey during the Asian financial crisis (1997-1998) and its resistance to International Monetary Fund assistance offer significant lessons to Sri Lankans today, as Sri Lanka navigates its economic challenges marked by high debt, inflation, and declining foreign reserves. Understanding Malaysia’s approach to crisis management can provide key insights into balancing…

Factum Perspective: Out of the abyss and into BRICS

Health and Economic Cooperation, International Development, Peace and Conflict, Regional GeopoliticsOctober 27, 20241KViews 0Likes 0Comments

By Shiran Illanperuma From October 22 to 24, the 16th BRICS summit was held in Kazan, Russia. Alongside the core group members of Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, this year saw the formal addition of Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, and the United Arab Emirates. During the summit, another 13 countries, including Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand,…