News

SL – Thai FTA : 5th round of talks begin

Published

2 years ago

June 26, 2023

editor

The 5th Round of Sri Lanka-Thailand Free Trade Agreement (SLTFTA) negotiations commenced in Colombo this morning (26), aligning with President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s vision of strengthening economic ties with major and emerging economies, with a particular focus on ASEAN countries.

Mr. K.J. Weerasinghe, the Chief Negotiator, International Trade Office (Leader of SL delegation), expressed satisfaction with the progress of the Free Trade Agreement discussions, which are proceeding according to the agreed-upon timeline. The next round of negotiations is scheduled to take place in Thailand from August 21st to 23rd, 2023. Three additional rounds are planned to conclude the Agreement by February 2024, with the signing expected to occur in March 2024.

During the opening session at the Taj Samudra Hotel in Colombo, Mr. Weerasinghe welcomed the SLTFTA delegation and emphasized the Sri Lankan Government’s objective of integrating into the global economy. Sri Lanka aims to expand its economic reach first within South Asia and then extend further eastward to become a part of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP). Sri Lanka will formally request the member countries of RCEP to support its application. Given Thailand’s active participation in both ASEAN and RCEP, Sri Lanka will seek Thailand’s support in joining RCEP.

The Director General of the Department of Trade Negotiations and Chief Negotiator of Thailand, Ms. Arumon Supthaweethum, participated in the negotiations virtually. The Thai delegation, including H.E. Ambassador of Thailand in Sri Lanka Poj Harnpol, and the Sri Lankan delegation, including Mrs.Kshenuka Seneviratne Senior Advisor to President on International Media, Mrs. Chandani Wijayawardana Senior Additional Secretary to the President, Mr. K.J.Weerasinghe Chief Negotiator, International Trade Office (Leader of SL delegation), Mrs. S.W.C. Jayamini Additional Secretary to the President (Deputy Chief Negotiator) also attended the event. The 5th round of discussions is scheduled to conclude on Wednesday (28).

(President’s Media Division)

News

03 Lankans featured in 2025 Forbes’ 30 Under 30 Asia list

Published

4 hours ago

May 15, 2025

editor

03 young Sri Lankans have been featured in the Forbes’ 30 Under 30 Asia list for 2025.

They are :
Nikin Matharaarachchi, in 2021, founded Sri Lanka-based Synapse AI Labs is the company behind Kommon Poll, an AI-powered social listening tool. Kommon Poll provides businesses marketing insights by analyzing keyword performance across multiple online platforms, including news sites, blogs and social media.

Charith N Silva, known for videos showing him preparing dishes in outdoor settings, launched the YouTube channel ‘Wild Cookbook’ in 2020 during the pandemic. With over 600 videos, ‘Wild Cookbook’ is now Sri Lanka’s largest YouTube channel with over 10 million subscribers, and Silva has over 2.3 million Instagram followers. In November 2024, he opened a restaurant in Colombo called Wildish.

Yanika Amarasekera-Siyaguna, a UC Berkeley and Imperial College London alumna, founded Silver Aisle, Sri Lanka’s first online wedding registry, in 2019. The e-commerce platform has since expanded beyond wedding gifts to include presents for all occasions as well as dining ,vacation packages and lessons in horse riding, golf and pottery, among others. In 2023, Amarasekera-Siyaguna was appointed an independent director of LB Finance, one of Sri Lanka’s largest finance firms.

News

SL & India sign USD 930.8 Mn. debt restructuring deal

Published

4 hours ago

May 15, 2025

editor

Sri Lanka and India have signed a USD 930.8 million debt restructuring deal recently on Sri Lanka’s present External Debt Restructuring Process.

The signing of Bilateral Amendatory Agreements between the Government of Sri Lanka and the Export-Import Bank (EXIM) of India took place on March 25, 2025 and April 03, 2025, respectively.

The deal concerns 07 Line of Credit and 04 Buyer’s Credit Facility agreements with the Government of India.

Secretary of the Ministry of Finance, Planning, and Economic Development, Mr. K.M. Mahinda Siriwardana, signed the agreements on behalf of the Sri Lankan Government.

General Manager of the EXIM Bank of India, Mr.Nirmit Ved, signed the Line of Credits, and Deputy General Manager of the EXIM Bank of India, Mr. Amith Kumar, signed the Buyer’s Credit Agreements.

Issuing a statement, the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development stated that the signing of these bilateral amendatory agreements marks a significant milestone in Sri Lanka’s ongoing External Debt Restructuring Process.

News

965 lives lost in road accidents during last 05 months

Published

4 hours ago

May 15, 2025

editor

A total of 965 people have died between January 01 – May 13 due to various road accidents across Sri Lanka.

During this period,1,842 accidents including 902 fatal accidents were recorded, according to police reports.

The main causes cited for these accidents include negligence, reckless driving and improper vehicle maintenance.

To address the rising number of accidents, police have planned a special island-wide program focused on reducing traffic incidents, including driver awareness initiatives.