Category: World
Sri Lanka and Thailand to Sign Free Trade Agreement in February 2024
The 8th round of negotiations for the Sri Lanka-Thailand Free Trade Agreement (SLTFTA) concluded successfully on November 29th, paving the way for a historic deal to be signed in February 2024. The negotiations, co-chaired by the Chief Negotiators of both countries, Auramon Supthaweethum (Thailand) and K. J. Weerasinghe (Sri Lanka), saw both sides agree to […]
Global Sovereign Sector Outlook Is Neutral, with Fiscal Risks in Focus, says Fitch Ratings
Global sovereign credit conditions are neutral entering 2024, as moderately weaker global economic growth and persistent strains on fiscal positions are balanced by improvements in inflation dynamics and forecast reductions in most central bank policy rates, Fitch Ratings says in its Global Sovereigns Outlook for 2024. Risks to the outlook centre on additional pressures on […]
IMF Executive Board Approves a Proposal to Increase IMF Quotas
The IMF Executive Board approved today a proposal to be considered by the Board of Governors to conclude the 16 th General Review of Quotas (16 th Review) with a significant increase in quotas. The proposal follows the guidance from the International Monetary and Financial Committee (IMFC) at the 2023 Annual Meetings. “Concluding the 16 th Review with a quota increase will help preserve a […]
Global Bond Yields Climb as US GDP Growth Picks Up: Fitch Ratings
Global bond yields have risen significantly in recent months as US economic growth has picked up, supported by strong consumer spending and job creation. The rise in yields in the US and Europe is despite signals from central banks that policy interest rates are approaching peaks and clear evidence that monetary tightening to date is […]
UN HR Commissioner says, Call for historic transformation is far from being realised in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka suffers from a continuing accountability deficit – be it for war crime atrocities, more recent human rights violations, corruption, or abuse of power – which must be addressed for the country to move forward, according to a UN Human Rights Office report published on Wednesday. “More than a year ago mass protests demanded better governance […]
French President Emmanuel Macron to undertake a visit to Sri Lanka
French President Emmanuel Macron will undertake a visit to Sri Lanka on 28 July 2023 following the visit to the South Pacific region. This historic visit is the first ever by a French President to the country. The official discussion between the two Heads of State will centre on strengthening bilateral relations in the 75th anniversary […]
247th anniversary of America’s Declaration of Independence celebrated in Sri Lanka
United StatesAmbassador to Sri Lanka Julie Chung hosted an event in Colombo on June 22 to mark the 247th anniversary of America’s Declaration of Independence. Ambassador Chung took the opportunity to also highlight the anniversary of 75 years of a strong and enduring partnership between the United States and Sri Lanka. Minister of Foreign Affairs Ali […]
Zambia reaches debt treatment agreement with its official creditors including China, India, Saudi Arabia & Paris Club
Following the announcement of an agreement being reached by Zambia and its official creditors under the Group of 20 Common Framework, Kristalina Georgieva, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), issued the following statement today: “I warmly welcome Minister of Finance Situmbeko Musokotwane’s announcement that the Zambian authorities have reached an agreement with their […]
Global Leaders Convene in Paris for Summit on New Global Financing Pact
President Emmanuel Macron of the French Republic has invited world leaders, including President Ranil Wickremesinghe, to participate in the highly anticipated Global Leaders’ Summit for a New Global Financing Pact. The event, scheduled to take place in Paris on 22 and 23 June, aims to address the pressing challenges faced by the world today. The […]
Advisory on fraudulent IT-related job offers in Thailand
The Sri Lanka Mission in Thailand has noticed recently that Sri Lankan nationals are being lured for employment in Thailand particularly for the positions in the Information Technology (IT) sector by dubious IT firms involved in call-centre scams and crypto currency fraud. Victims are illegally taken across the border from Thailand mostly into Myanmar and […]
Sri Lanka-Thailand Free Trade Agreement to be signed in first quarter of 2024
The fourth round of negotiations on the proposed Sri Lanka-Thailand Free Trade Agreement (SLTFTA) was held in Colombo from 27 to 29 March 2023. On March 26, a 35-member Thai delegation led by Auramon Supathaweethum, Director General of the Department of Trade Negotiations, arrived in Sri Lanka for the fourth round of talks. online pharmacy […]
Foreign Minister Ali Sabry to visit Saudi Arabia
Minister of Foreign Affairs Ali Sabry is scheduled to make an official visit to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia from 23-27 January 2023 on an invitation of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud. The Minister is scheduled to meet with Foreign Minister Farhan Al Saud and discuss […]