Health and Economic Cooperation – Page 4

Factum Perspective: A new dawn for the Middle East

Health and Economic Cooperation, History and Culture, International Development, UncategorizedApril 3, 20231KViews 0Likes 2Comments

By Deshani Samaragunarathna ألا هو لا دان (Ala ho la dan) Look who we are, we are the dreamers - We make it happen 'cause we believe it Look who we are, we are the dreamers - We make it happen 'cause we can see it Here's to the ones that keep the passion…

Factum Perspective: Central Bank Digital Currencies and Emerging Economies – Part II

Health and Economic Cooperation, International Development, Tech CooperationMarch 26, 2023600Views 0Likes 0Comments

Read Part I of this article here. By Kasun Thilina Kariyawasam In general, Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs) can help businesses and individuals engage in international trade and investment, by providing a stable, regulated, and transparent currency that mitigates some of the risks associated with cross-border transactions. CBDCs for firms A CBDC can help…

Factum Perspective: Central Bank Digital Currencies and Emerging Economies – Part I

Health and Economic CooperationMarch 13, 20231KViews 0Likes 0Comments

Read Part II of this article here. By Kasun Thilina Kariyawasam In a survey conducted by the Bank for International Settlements (BIS) in 2021, 90% of Central Banks said they were exploring Central Bank Digital Currencies or CBDCs, with 54% considering issuing one within six years. With its CBDC – the digital renminbi…

Factum Perspective: Indo-Sri Lankan relations since independence – A checkered history

Belt Road Initiative and Indo-Pacific Policy, Health and Economic Cooperation, History and Culture, Peace and Conflict, Regional GeopoliticsFebruary 13, 20231KViews 0Likes 0Comments

Read this article in Tamil: vidiyal.lk/post/--2812 By P. K. Balachandran India-Sri Lanka relations are undoubtedly at their best now, thanks to India’s timely and generous assistance to its financially-beleaguered southern neighbor. But in the past 75 years or more, bilateral relations have been overwhelmingly troubled. Therefore, the million-dollar question now is: Will India’s help…

Factum Perspective: The road ahead for Emerging Markets

Health and Economic Cooperation, International DevelopmentJanuary 16, 2023942Views 0Likes 0Comments

By Kasun Thilina Kariyawasam “The dollar is our currency, but it's your problem.” John Connally, US Treasury Secretary, 1971 In the post-COVID global economy, Emerging Markets were hit with a double-whammy downward spiral. Even prior to the pandemic, Emerging Markets (EMs) were struggling with high inflation, lack of investment, unemployment, and other issues. Then COVID-19…

Factum Special Analysis: Emerging Markets and International Sovereign Bonds

Health and Economic Cooperation, Regional GeopoliticsDecember 15, 2022897Views 0Likes 0Comments

By Kasun Thilina Kariyawasam A total of USD 1,737.2 billion has been invested in the sovereign debt of emerging markets over the last 12 years. As a result of the high interest rates, emerging markets (EMs) paid 63% of the total interest on the bonds. Since 2020, Argentina, Zambia, and Sri Lanka have defaulted on…

Factum Perspective: IORA and Climate Change

Climate and environment, Health and Economic CooperationNovember 22, 20221KViews 0Likes 0Comments

By P. K. Balachandran Set up in 1997, the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) is an inter-governmental organization aimed at strengthening regional cooperation and sustainable development in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR). It is also meant to help member countries meet the many challenges posed by climate change. The IORA has 23 Member States and…

Factum Special Perspective: Sri Lanka and Türkiye – Renewing an old friendship

Health and Economic Cooperation, International Development, Peace and Conflict, Regional GeopoliticsNovember 4, 2022845Views 0Likes 0Comments

By Uditha Devapriya The Sri Lankan government has tasked the Lakshman Kadirgamar Institute to conduct a review of the country’s foreign relations. While officials have not yet come out with details, the review is set to include a reconsideration of Sri Lanka’s ties with various countries, in light of recent international developments. The Executive Director…

Factum Perspective: Turkiye’s South Asia policy – An assessment

Health and Economic Cooperation, Peace and Conflict, Regional GeopoliticsOctober 24, 2022580Views 0Likes 0Comments

By P. K. Balachandran On the face of it, opting for “strategic autonomy” in a multi-polar world makes sense. It releases a country from the shackles of pre-existing alliances and enables it to take its decisions independently. It enables a country to navigate among antagonistic international groups and strike the best bilateral bargains. In the…

Factum Perspective: The IMF agreement is only the beginning of a tough journey

Health and Economic CooperationSeptember 26, 2022750Views 0Likes 0Comments

By P. K. Balachandran On September 1, Sri Lanka succeeded in arriving at a staff-level agreement with the IMF for an Extended Fund Facility (EFF) of US$ 2.9 billion, spread over a four-year period. This facility was given following the submission of a credible plan for a thorough reform of the ruined economy by the…

Factum Perspective: Sri Lanka’s crisis and the dilemmas of small states

Belt Road Initiative and Indo-Pacific Policy, Health and Economic Cooperation, Maritime Security, Peace and Conflict, Regional GeopoliticsSeptember 12, 2022730Views 0Likes 0Comments

By Uditha Devapriya Sri Lanka’s economic woes have not cast a shadow over its complex foreign relations. On August 16, the southern port of Hambantota welcomed the Yuan Wang 5, a research vessel from China. While Colombo had asked for a deferral of the visit, it later relented and allowed the ship to dock until…

Factum Exclusive: Going QR – A quiet digital revolution in Sri Lanka

Health and Economic Cooperation, Tech CooperationSeptember 4, 20222KViews 0Likes 0Comments

By Uditha Devapriya How one team came together to resolve Sri Lanka’s intractable fuel shortages On June 27, Sri Lankans woke up to some rather dismal news: the country had run out of fuel, and the government would limit stocks to essential services and industries for two weeks. The situation was so bad that the…