Sri Lanka is moving swiftly to respond to a significant economic challenge after the United States imposed a steep 44% retaliatory tariff on Sri Lankan exports, impacting nearly US$3 billion worth of goods—especially in key industries such as apparel and textiles. The sudden and unilateral measure has triggered both economic concern and diplomatic engagement, with the US urging Sri Lanka to address its trade deficit more effectively.
In reaction, the Sri Lankan government has set up a special committee to review and potentially revise the existing tariff system. This development emerged during ongoing discussions with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), which are focused on evaluating the broader impact of US trade policies on Sri Lanka’s fragile economy.
President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, along with senior IMF officials, participated in a high-level meeting on April 7 at the Presidential Secretariat. The talks reviewed progress on the fourth tranche of Sri Lanka’s Extended Fund Facility (EFF), which supports a larger economic reform strategy aimed at stabilizing the country’s finances.
The IMF team was led by Sanjaya Panth, Deputy Director of the Asia and Pacific Department, and included Evan Papageorgiou, the newly appointed Mission Chief. Top officials from Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Finance, Central Bank, and Presidential Secretariat were also present.
Key discussions revolved around structural reforms, fiscal policy, tax compliance, and strategies to mitigate the fallout from the US tariffs. The IMF highlighted the urgency of continuing reform momentum to ensure macroeconomic stability and long-term debt sustainability.
To meet its 2025 revenue goals, particularly the target of achieving 13.9% of GDP in tax revenue, the IMF has advised against introducing new tax exemptions. Instead, the focus should be on improving tax compliance to generate an additional 1.6% in gross revenue.
Sri Lanka recently passed the third EFF review, securing a US$334 million disbursement. This marks progress in areas such as inflation control, foreign reserves management, and revenue collection. The economy has rebounded, showing 4.3% growth since 2023 and recovering around 40% of the economic losses incurred between 2018 and 2023.
Looking ahead, Sri Lanka plans to leverage the upcoming IMF Spring Meetings in Washington from April 21 to 26 to showcase its reform achievements. This platform offers an opportunity to seek reduced trade barriers, attract investment, and request technical support—steps crucial to strengthening underperforming export sectors and enhancing the country’s economic resilience amidst growing external pressure.
The 26th Asia-Pacific Secretaries Congress (ASA Congress) is set to take place in Colombo from April 25 to 29, hosted by the Sri Lanka Association of Administrative and Professional Secretaries (SLAAPS). A recent press briefing highlighted key aspects of the upcoming event, which returns to Sri Lanka after 25 years.
Held under the theme “Empowering Diversity Beyond Borders”, the Congress will bring together administrative professionals, business leaders, and entrepreneurs from across the Asia-Pacific region. It aims to showcase professional evolution and leadership, particularly highlighting individuals who began their careers as secretaries and have since advanced to executive roles.
Established in 1974, the Association of Secretaries and Administrative Professionals in Asia-Pacific (ASA) promotes excellence, training, and cross-cultural collaboration. SLAAPS, a member organization, plays a central role in advancing the profession locally and regionally.
SLAAPS and ASA President Azra Reyaldeen noted the event’s significance as a celebration of transformation and unity. Western Province Governor Hanif Yusoof is scheduled to serve as Chief Guest at the opening ceremony.
The Congress programme includes keynote addresses, leadership forums, professional development workshops, cultural showcases, and excursions, offering attendees a comprehensive experience of learning and Sri Lankan hospitality.
The event is coordinated by Organising Chairpersons Gwendoline Nilaweera and Nirmaliee Fernando, along with a dedicated committee.
A delegation from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) visited Palai to inspect the progress of a water supply project currently being implemented by the National Water Supply and Drainage Board (NWSDB). The project seeks to improve access to clean drinking water across the Jaffna peninsula, particularly in areas affected by limited or poor-quality water sources.
During the site visit, the ADB team, along with NWSDB officials, reviewed infrastructure developments and interacted with local communities. Residents in the area anticipate improved access to water, especially during the dry season, once the new supply lines are operational.
The inspection coincided with broader discussions on regional water distribution strategies. At the Jaffna District Coordinating Committee (DCC) meeting held on March 25, concerns were raised regarding the long-term feasibility and inclusivity of the project. Questions were posed about the adequacy of the current distribution model and the potential for alternative approaches to maximize reach.
The NWSDB stated that the existing plan aims to provide access to approximately 300,000 of the 600,000 residents in the peninsula, with phased expansion envisioned. The partial coverage has spurred continued dialogue among policymakers about the need to ensure the project’s scalability and impact.
The Most Venerable Mahanayake Thera of the Lanka Amarapura Dharma Rakshitha Nikaya, Trincomalee Ananda Maha Thera, visited the Peliyagoda Vidyalankara Pirivena on April 9 to review the progress of a Tamil language education programme initiated by the Dharmavijaya Foundation. The programme, launched two months ago with 31 student monks, aims to bridge linguistic divides and promote national reconciliation by training Buddhist monks to deliver sermons in Tamil.
Approved by the Most Venerable Welamitiyawe Sri Gnanarathana Thera, the course enables both in-person and remote participation, providing monks from distant regions the opportunity to join online. The programme is structured as a year-long course with a focus on Tamil language proficiency tailored to Dhamma preaching.
The initiative is supported by Rajakaya Pandita Radaliyadde Seelananda Thera, Deputy Director of the National Institute of Education (NIE), and Tamil scholar Professor Vajira Prabhath Wijesinghe. It also seeks to encourage deeper understanding of Buddhist philosophy among Tamil-speaking communities in Sri Lanka and abroad.
Assistant Director of the Pirivena Division of the Ministry of Education, Dhammika Lalith, acknowledged the programme’s contribution to fostering inter-ethnic harmony and highlighted its alignment with national education policy. He noted that the course opens pathways for higher education in Tamil, including access to institutions such as the University of Jaffna, and may help address the shortage of Tamil language teachers in Pirivena institutions.
During the review visit, the Mahanayake Thera highlighted the significance of the programme in strengthening communication and understanding between communities in the North and South of Sri Lanka. He also emphasized the potential for outreach to Tamil-speaking populations in India and around the world.
The Chairman of the Dharmavijaya Foundation, Isuru Thilakawardena, recognized the contributions of all involved, particularly Professor Vajira Prabath. The meeting concluded with a vote of thanks from Radaliyadde Seelananda Thera, expressing appreciation for the support provided by the Vidyalankara Parivenadhipathi and the continued teaching efforts of Professor Prabath. Classes are set to resume following the Sinhala and Tamil New Year break.
The Sri Lankan Government has reiterated its commitment to ensuring public funds are effectively channeled to rural communities without corruption, framing the upcoming local government elections as a pivotal moment in the country’s governance and development efforts.
Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya, speaking at a public gathering in the Maligawatte division of the Colombo Central electorate on April 21, outlined the government’s current development priorities and its approach to managing public finances. According to the Prime Minister, the administration has launched its first eight-month budget, focusing heavily on rural economic revitalization and community-level development projects.
She noted that the government’s financial approach emphasizes transparency and efficiency, particularly in contrast to past administrations accused of fiscal mismanagement. The Prime Minister underlined the necessity of competent and trustworthy leadership at the local government level to carry forward national development strategies.
Highlighting Colombo’s Municipal Council, which reportedly generates an annual revenue of Rs. 30 billion, the Prime Minister questioned the effectiveness of previous administrations in delivering equitable services, citing disparities in education and infrastructure within the city. The local government’s performance, she said, is crucial to improving basic amenities and services across Colombo.
Dr. Amarasuriya also introduced Vraie Cally Balthazaar as the National People’s Power (NPP) party’s nominee for the position of Colombo Mayor, describing the selection process as based on practical experience and community engagement rather than political legacy.
The event was attended by Deputy Minister of National Integration Mohamed Muneer, the Colombo Mayoral candidate Vraie Cally Balthazaar, local council candidates, and other NPP party members.
The local government elections are scheduled for May 6.
Showers or thundershowers will occur in most parts of the island after 1.00 p.m.
Fairly heavy falls above 75 mm are likely at some places in Western, Sabaragamuwa, Central Uva, Eastern and Northern provinces.
Showers or thundershowers may occur in Western province and in Galle, Matara and Puttalam districts in the morning too.
The general public is kindly requested to take adequate precautions to minimize damages caused by temporary localized strong winds and lightning during thundershowers.
Misty conditions can be expected at some places in Central, Sabaragamuwa and Uva provinces and in Ampara district during the morning.
Most Venerable Banagala Upatissa Thero Offers Condolences on the Passing of Pope Francis
The President of the Sri Lanka Mahabodhi Society and Chief Sangha Leader of Japan, Most Venerable Banagala Upatissa Thero, has conveyed deep condolences on the passing of Pope Francis (Jorge Mario Bergoglio).
Recalling multiple personal meetings with the Pope, the Thero described him as a figure of deep humility, a visionary advocate of interfaith harmony, and a champion for the poor. He specifically highlighted Pope Francis’s 2015 visit to Sri Lanka, during which the Pope visited the Maligakanda Agrasravaka at the Mahabodhi Temple—an event the Pope described as the first time a pontiff had visited a Buddhist temple.
In his message, Banagala Upatissa Thero reflected on the Pope’s lifelong dedication to peace and spiritual leadership, expressing a wish for his eternal salvation.
At midday on Monday, church bells across Italy began to toll. Pope Francis was dead.
Not even 24 hours had passed since he had made a surprise appearance on the balcony overlooking St Peter’s Square, blessing the 35,000 people gathered to celebrate Easter at the Vatican.
The Pope was breathing on his own, without oxygen tubes, despite being told by his doctors to spend two months convalescing after 38 days in hospital with double pneumonia.
Over the past two weeks Francis had done what he had always done, received visitors and met people from every walk of life.
When he appeared on Easter Sunday, the crowd below erupted in cheers as he appeared; then it fell silent.
“Dear brothers and sisters, I wish you a happy Easter,” he said, his voice heavy with effort.
“I think people could feel something – as if they could tell it was the last time they’d see him,” said Mauro, a Rome resident who was in St Peter’s Square for Easter Mass and had now returned to pay his respects.
“Usually everyone shouts ‘Long live the Pope!’… this time it was much quieter than usual, there was maybe more respect for his suffering.”
“He blessed us but his voice was a husk,” a man called Alberto told the BBC. “I think he was giving us his last goodbye.”
Image caption, A steady stream of pilgrims returned to St Peter’s
Doctors who treated Francis at Rome’s Gemelli hospital had prescribed a regimen of complete rest – but it was never likely that a typically active Pope who spent much of his papacy meeting people would keep to that.
Francis had already made it clear he wanted to be back in the Vatican in time for Easter, as soon as the specialists treating him explained that his health issues would not be resolved quickly.
For Christians, Easter is even more important than Christmas as it symbolises a core tenet of their faith – the resurrection of Christ, three days after his nailing to the cross.
Before he was discharged on 23 March, Francis waved to crowds from the hospital too, and then headed back to his quarters in the Casa Santa Marta guest house he had made his home.
His medical team said all he needed was oxygen, and convalescing there was better than hospital with all its infections.
Easter was just three weeks away and, as it approached, the Pope’s schedule became increasingly busy.
He met King Charles and Queen Camilla at the Casa San Marta and then appeared on the Vatican balcony for Palm Sunday four days later on 13 April, mingling with a crowd of 20,000 people in St Peter’s Square, against doctors’ advice.
Image caption, Pope Francis also made an unexpected appearance in St Peter’s Square for Palm Sunday
But for the Pope, Easter was most important time of all.
Last Thursday, as he had done many times previously and as he used to do in his native Argentina before becoming Pope, he made a visit to the Regina Coeli jail in Rome where he spent half an hour meeting prisoners and he was greeted by applause from staff and guards as he arrived in a wheelchair.
In previous years he had washed inmates’ feet, mirroring what Jesus is said to have done with his disciples the night before his death.
“This year I’m unable to do that, but I can and want to still be near you,” he said in a feeble voice to the dozens of prisoners who had come to see him, and who cheered him on as he toured the jail.
“We are so lucky. Those on the outside don’t get to see him and we do,” one man told Italian media.
As he was leaving the prison, Francis was asked by a journalist how he would experience Easter this year.
“Whichever way I can,” he replied.
And, on Sunday, he kept his promise.
Image caption, Prison staff and guards welcomed Pope Francis as he marked Holy Thursday at Regina Coeli jail
He held a short meeting with US Vice-President JD Vance before appearing before the crowds in St Peter’s Square as the crowd below erupted in cheers.
He made his final blessing – the Urbi et Orbi address in Latin, meaning “to the city and to the world”. Then, Archbishop Diego Ravelli read out a speech written by the Pope as Francis sat silently beside him.
Then, to everyone’s surprise, he descended down to St Peter’s Square, where he was driven around in an open-top popemobile – the distinctive little white Mercedes-Benz used by popes to meet crowds.
A camera followed him around as he raised his arm to bless the faithful lining the sunny square, and a few babies were brought up closer to him. It was the last time the world saw him alive.
Watching Francis’s blessing on Sunday, Alberto from Rome felt he would not last much longer, although the Pope’s death still came as a shock.
“I didn’t feel happy seeing him, I could tell he was in pain,” he said. “But it was an honour to see him one last time.”
Francis died early on Monday in his beloved Casa Santa Marta – a residenceof 100-odd simple rooms, run by nuns and open to pilgrims and visitors.
A little over two hours later, the cardinal chamberlain, or camerlengo, stood in the Casa Santa Marta and made the news public.
The Vatican said on Monday evening he had died of a stroke and irreversible heart failure.
Image caption, Worshippers paid their respects to Francis during a rosary in St Peter’s Square
The Pope’s rooms were a far cry from the opulence of the Vatican quarters typically destined to pontiffs, which Francis had turned down at the start of his papacy saying he felt the need to “live among people”.
“If I lived by myself, maybe even a bit in isolation, it would be of no use to me,” he said back then.
In the coming days, cardinals from across the world will be staying at Casa Santa Marta as they gather in Rome for the conclave that will choose Francis’ successor.
Outside, in the bright sunshine in St Peter’s Square, people mingled with priests and friars under the imposing basilica.
A group of nuns clad in grey and white glared at a man who, headphones in, was dancing around the square. “No respect,” they tutted.
The same large screens that broadcast the Pope’s blessing for Easter now displayed a photo of Francis smiling and a notice that a special rosary was being held for him 12 hours after his death.
It would allow Catholics near and far to pray for their Pope – and thank him for celebrating one last Easter with them.
The National Movement for Social Justice (NMSJ) urges the authorities to immediately address the current state of the Right to Information (RTI) Commission, as the prevailing situation has created conditions that undermine its full and effective functioning.
We stress the urgent need for authorities to address the state of the Commission, which remains without a Chairperson following the resignation of its former Chairperson in March, 2025. Despite the Sri Lanka Press Institute and affiliated media associations nominating a candidate for the vacant post of Commissioner as early as 1 January, 2025 — a nomination approved by the Constitutional Council — no appointment has been made to date. The Commission is currently operating in an incomplete and limited capacity.
Furthermore, there is a severe shortage of legal and administrative staff, which threatens the Commission’s continued functioning. With growing public reliance on the RTI Act No. 12 of 2016 for accountability, decisions made by an incomplete Commission could face legal challenges, weakening public trust and jeopardising its role in governance.
The RTI Act, secured in 2015 after 12 years of tireless advocacy by the opposition and civil society — and first proposed as a Private Member’s Bill — has been internationally recognised as one of the top three such laws in the world. It brought honour to Sri Lanka. Its partial operation today, in the face of growing public demand for transparency and good governance, is deeply concerning.
In light of the Government’s recent statement that details of the Indo-Lanka Security Agreement can be accessed via the right to information, the need to restore the Commission to full operational strength becomes even more pressing. The Government cannot ignore this responsibility.
At a time when the President has taken a stand against bribery and corruption, restoring and strengthening the RTI Commission will significantly aid those efforts. Failure to do so risks echoing the 2004–2005 period, when the then Government sought to weaken democratic governance by delaying appointments to independent commissions. We sincerely hope the current Government will not follow that path.
We therefore call on the President to take immediate steps to ensure the full functionality of the RTI Commission and uphold the hard-earned right to information. As a movement that has long championed this cause, we trust the President recognises the gravity of the issue and will act without delay.
Karu Jayasuriya Leader National Movement for Social Justice 21 April 2025
Sri Lanka’s overall inflation, measured by the National Consumer Price Index (NCPI), registered a year-on-year deflation of -1.9% in March 2025, up from -3.9% in February, according to data from the Department of Census and Statistics.
Food inflation turned positive at 0.8% in March, rising from -1.1% the previous month, while non-food inflation remained negative at -4.1%.
The NCPI (2021=100) recorded a slight drop to 206.0 in March, down from 206.2 in February. Month-on-month, food prices contributed -0.10% to the change, and non-food items had no impact.
Core inflation (excluding food, energy, and transport) was at -0.6% in March, with a monthly decline of 0.1%.
Despite recent deflation, the overall price level has increased by 106% since the 2021 base year.
