Category: News

Officials delegation led by Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra holds talks with President and Prime Minister as SL seeks nearly $ 1 b additional financing  President and PM’s offices say India assures fullest support to resolve Lankan crisis Promoting India-Sri Lanka investment partnership including in the fields of infrastructure, connectivity, renewable energy and deepening economic linkages between the two countries discussed Indian team underscores unprecedented recent economic, financial and humanitarian assistance of over $ 3.5 b to SL guided by ‘Neighbourhood First’ policy and Security and Growth for All in South…

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Thank you Mr President This statement is by the Sri Lanka Core Group comprising Canada, Germany, Malawi, Montenegro, North Macedonia, the UK and the United States. We recognise the significant challenges that Sri Lanka has been facing over recent months, causing great hardship for the Sri Lankan people. We note that protesters, have exercised their rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and association, and freedom of expression in recent months. We are deeply concerned by violent attacks on peaceful protestors and subsequent violence against government-aligned politicians and supporters. Those responsible…

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Fresh boost for SL-China ties SL asks China for debt rescheduling, tourists via bio-bubble, concessional trade credit scheme Foreign Minister Wang Yi calls on President, PM Greater market access for Lankan exports; attracting more Chinese investments to Port City and Hambantota industrial zone discussed  Two leaders open Port City Marina Promenade, witness Sino-Lanka sailing competition Two countries ink new deals for technical cooperation on health, low-cost housing in Colombo Sri Lanka and China yesterday saw a fresh fillip to its strong and long-standing bilateral ties with the former requesting for…

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President to roll out 1,000 new national schools program today Bringing ‘Vistas of Prosperity’ to the forefront, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa will ceremoniously launch the 1,000 new national schools establishment program, covering all nine provinces today.The inaugural ceremony of the 1,000 new national schools establishment program will be held at the Siyambalanduwa Maha Vidyalaya in Monaragala today at 10:30 a.m. auspicious time with the blessings of Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa and by the invitation of the Leader of the House of Parliament and Education Minister Dinesh Gunawardena, President’s Media Division said.Simultaneously,…

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Minority parties to write to India A group of Opposition MPs in Sri Lanka, representing Tamils from the north and east, hill country (Malaiyaha Tamils), and Tamil-speaking Muslims on Sunday sought the full implementation of the 13th Amendment to ensure “existing rights are not snatched away”. The contentious 13th Amendment, born out of the Indo-Lanka Accord of 1987, has remained in Sri Lanka’s Constitution for nearly four decades without seeing full implementation, as successive regimes in Colombo have refused to part with power over crucial areas including land, and law…

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China Says Power project in the North is not withdrawn! Chinese firm denies reports it withdrew from green power project for northern islands China’s SINOSOAR- Hybrid Technology had not withdrawn from the execution of northern power projects as reported by certain Sri Lankan and Indian media outlets, Project Manager, Paul Cao said yesterday. He said that SINOSOAR was the pre-winning bidder for the three islands mini-grid project in northern Sri Lanka. “In the last couple of days, we noticed some misrepresented reports in some local media, claiming that our company…

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Basil concludes successful visit to India India agrees to support Sri Lanka, guided by its ‘Neighbourhood First’ policy Four key pillars of short-medium term economic cooperation will be on food and health, energy, currency swap to address BoP, facilitation of Indian investment in different sectors Early modernisation of Trinco tank farm, credit facilities to import essential food items, medicine, fuel from India among other measures Modalities to realise these objectives would be finalised early within mutually-agreed timeline Rajapaksa expresses gratitude to India for support extended to SL in many spheres…

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China pulls out of Northern hybrid power projects China said the hybrid energy projects to be constructed on three islands in the Northern Province have been suspended.  The Chinese Embassy in Sri Lanka tweeted that the suspension came after a third party’s security concerns. The Indian Government raised concerns several times over awarding the projects to China as the three islands are in close proximity to India and that is a major issue to them. The hybrid project was won by Sino Soar Hybrid Technology in an open tender. But…

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Divisions within Government on seeking IMF help Cabinet views contradict with parliamentary group Cabinet discusses pros and cons of turning to IMF Gammanpila in favour; Basil, Bandula, Vasu oppose BY Shenal Fernando -The Morning 25-11-2021) Amidst proposals and recommendations by various economists and international rating agencies to seek International Monetary Fund (IMF) assistance, the Government of Sri Lanka is divided on seeking such assistance, both within the Cabinet of Ministers and the parliamentary group, according to Co-Cabinet Spokesman and Minister of Mass Media Dullas Alahapperuma.  Speaking during the Cabinet press…

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