By Flavia Gunarathna
In a series of diplomatic and technological engagements, Sri Lanka seems to be taking strides towards enhancing its digital and maritime infrastructure.
During his official visit to Indonesia, President Ranil Wickremesinghe held discussions with Indonesian officials and Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla and SpaceX. These meetings, occurring amidst the backdrop of the…
By Kasun Thilina Kariyawasam
Many people have benefited from the ancient Chinese silk road, which connected large parts of the world. When we think of the Silk Road, we immediately think of silk, porcelain, and various precious stones. However, the Silk Road was also a route for countries to share knowledge and technology. Cotton weaving…
By Britney Martil
Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi's visit to Sri Lanka marks a significant milestone. The inauguration of the Uma Oya Multipurpose Project, a hydro power project supported by Iran, symbolizes the potential for further collaboration in energy generation and infrastructure. Despite challenges like funding delays, the completion of the project underscored a sustained dedication…
By Amantha Gunarathna
Adani Group's recent announcement of a USD 750 million investment in Sri Lanka's power sector seemingly marks a significant stride towards bolstering the country's energy infrastructure. This investment underscores the growing recognition of the importance of transitioning towards sustainable energy sources globally.
However, amidst the optimism, scrutiny arises concerning Adani's track record…
By Flavia Gunarathna
In a significant stride towards economic revitalization, Thailand and Sri Lanka signed a Free Trade Agreement (FTA), marking an important moment in diplomatic and economic relations between the two nations. As Sri Lanka grapples with its worst financial crisis in decades, the FTA is anticipated to play a crucial role in fostering…
By Ramindu Perera
Last week, South Africa referred Israel’s actions in the occupied Gaza Strip to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) arguing that the military operations amount to the crime of genocide. The oral hearings of the case were held on 11 and 12 January at the Hague, and the case has already attracted…
By Amanda Gunarathna
Nitrogen pollution, a growing concern in environmental science, refers to the excessive release of nitrogen compounds into ecosystems, predominantly originating from human activities such as industrial processes, agriculture, and fossil fuel combustion.
While Nitrogen is an essential element for life, an excess of it can lead to detrimental consequences for ecosystems…
By Minoli Gunarathna
Climate change refers to long-term, major changes in the global climate. Given the increasingly dire global climate situation, international cooperation must be prioritised. Climate diplomacy is a strategy approach that highlights the need of incorporating climate goals and addressing climate-related concerns at the highest level of diplomatic interaction and across multiple policy…
By Tahira Sheriff
In a world brimming with challenges, the power of unity, collaboration, and shared purpose shines ever more brightly. Such is the saga of my journey through the Professional Fellowship Exchange Program organized by the US Department of State.
Over five weeks, I figured among 20 exceptional fellows from Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, India,…
The failure to tackle poor governance has long since been a thorn in the side of Sri Lanka’s developmental efforts. Governance issues linked to the economy have become especially relevant in recent times since demands for system-wide change expressed during the 2022 crisis remains fresh in the minds of many.
But despite eloquent campaign promises,…
By Vinod Moonesinghe
Growing US security concerns about China's rapid technological progress have led to increased scrutiny of academic programs involving China or Chinese scholars. This has led to the resignation of experts such as Denis Simon from the University of North Carolina, who left due to restrictive government policies. Simon complains about university fears…
By Sanja de Silva Jayatilleka
The Valdai Discussion Club, established in 2004, held its 20th meeting in Sochi, Russia from October 2 to 5, seeing over 140 “leading experts” from 42 countries attending the conference despite ongoing hostilities between the Russian Federation and Ukraine. President Vladimir Putin attended the conference for the plenary session on…