“We have achieved many positive gains over the past three years through bold policy initiatives and pragmatic strategies that enabled the country to win back recognition and friendly engagements with the rest of world. This has been a key foreign policy achievement of our government,” says Wickremesinghe. Noting that Sri Lanka is making strong progress on plans to bring opportunities to rural communities by building necessary infrastructure, he points out that the plan for an “Empowered Sri Lanka” which identifies the priorities of raising incomes, ensuring employment and housing for all, and improving the quality of life for all citizens, is also delivering impressive results.

“The government has also invested in some mega projects, including the Colombo Megapolis constructions – to build a city of the future – and irrigation projects including the Moragahakanda-Kaluganga Dam, to generate green energy and provide water resources for agro-production,” Prime Minister Wickremesinghe said.

Whilst acknowledging that Asia will be the future “economic engine”, he said the government’s intention is to therefore “engage Asia” more steadily, utilising the strategic access to major growing markets in the region, from India, Pakistan, China, Japan and ROK to the ASEAN. Developments in Africa are also important in looking to South-South engagements and cooperation, he said. “While we undertake this re-orientation, we also continue to strengthen our partnerships with the West – particularly our top export markets of the United States and Europe,” the premiere highlighted. He further added that as Sri Lanka recognises the importance of external demand for sustained, high and long-term growth, the country is rolling out a plan to strategically position the island as the hub of the Indian Ocean, securing opportunities for local businesses in global production networks and ensuring that the country is capitalising on opportunities to enter new global value chains.

“This outward-looking approach will increase the efficiency of the domestic economy, contributing to a better life for all Sri Lankans,” he assured.