1. President Ranil Wickremesinghe says Sri Lanka expects to receive the USD 2.9 bn Extended Fund Facility from the IMF next month: previously, the facility was expected by September 2022.
   
2. Speculation mounts of a strong possibility of the LG polls, originally scheduled for 9th March, being cancelled or postponed: Treasury Secretary Mahinda Siriwardene continues to refuse to release funds for the purpose, although Rs.10bn has been approved by Parliament in the Budget 2023.
   
3. Chairman Elections Commission says that the Commission will file a motion before Supreme Court citing the difficulties of inadequate funds, inability to print required ballot papers by the Govt Press, inadequate fuel supply for transport etc. that hinder it from holding the LG elections on 9th March, as undertaken before the Supreme Court.
   
4. SJB Deputy National Organiser and MP S M Marikkar says Treasury Secretary Mahinda Siriwardana and Govt Printer Gangani Liyanage will be the next to face legal action for their attempts to obstruct the upcoming LG elections: asserts the Constitution is the supreme law of the country and is above any circular issued by the Ministry.
   
5. President Ranil Wickremesinghe promises to prioritise economic recovery and to maintain law & order to prevent anarchy: also says he aims to restore the economy and establish a democratic society by year-end.
   
6. Asia’s leading polls monitoring outfit, Asian Network for Free Elections says it is deeply concerned by the numerous attempts to disrupt the long overdue local elections in Sri Lanka: alerts the local elections were supposed to be held on 20th March 2022, and has been postponed for almost a year.
   
7. Agriculture Minister Mahinda Amaraweera says the Ministry has given permission to import eggs on a temporary basis from India for the needs of Sri Lanka’s struggling bakery industry, owing to the egg shortages: hopes this would be the last time Sri Lanka has to import eggs.
   
8. Agriculture Minister Mahinda Amaraweera says permission has been granted to kill monkeys, peacocks, grizzled giant squirrels, porcupines, wild boars and toque macaques as those animals destroy crops: Minister’s order in response to farmers’ claims that the population of some wild animals has grown uncontrollably, after the killing of wild animals had been stopped in the country.
   
9. Govt Medical Officers Assn spokesman Dr. Chamil Wijesinghe says between 50 to 60 doctors apply for leave each month for employment abroad: also says some doctors have left the country even without obtaining leave: estimates that more than 1,000 doctors have left the country last year.
   
10. MEPA’s newly-appointed Chairman Asela B Rekawa appoints a 3-member Expert Advisory Panel to expedite the civil action on MV X-Press Pearl marine disaster on 19th May 2021: prescription period of 2 years for any claim, looms.

Government is set to appoint a green finance committee to raise funds for green finance projects in 2023,as it has been decided to publish a robust roadmap.

President Ranil Wickremesinghe has instructed the appointment of a green finance committee, which will be chaired by Ruwan Wijewardena, Senior Advisor to the President on Climate Change.

A preliminary discussion was held last morning ( 17) at the Presidential Secretariat, chaired by Wijewardena.

Green finance involves directing financial resources to address climate change challenges and to transition towards a low-carbon economy.

The Roadmap on Green Finance aims to merge ongoing processes like green finance, green bonds, climate finance, etc., into a single platform with a clear scope, measures, and targets. During the discussion, significant attention was given to these issues.

The Central Bank of Sri Lanka has already launched the Sri Lanka Green Finance Taxonomy, a classification system, which defines and categorizes economic activities that are environmentally sustainable, and is a key action item outlined in the Roadmap for Sustainable Finance of Sri Lanka introduced by the Central Bank in 2019.

The Taxonomy has been prepared in line with the international best practices, while harmonizing for local context, hence it is expected to enable financial market participants to raise low-cost funding for green activities through both domestic and foreign markets.

The Sri Lanka Green Finance Taxonomy would be applicable to all domestic and foreign market participants offering financial products (such as bank lending, debt instruments, portfolio management, and investment funds), large corporations, as well as national and local government bodies.

t can also be used as a reference by the industrial planning authorities and served as the basis for local governments to support green industries covering a range of economic activities such as Forest and Logging, Agriculture, Manufacturing, Electric power generation, Transmission and distribution, Gas, steam and air conditioning supply, Water supply, sewerage and waste management.

Construction, Transportation and storage, Financial services and Tourism and recreation. The Sri Lanka Green Finance Taxonomy was developed with the technical and financial assistance of the International Finance Corporation (IFC), and the process was facilitated through the Sustainable Banking and Finance Network (SBFN) and the IFC Green Bond Technical Assistance Program (GB- TAP).

The Sri Lanka Green Finance Taxonomy is a a critical tool to guide financial institutions, investors, corporates and green-bond issuers to navigate the transition to a low-carbon, climate-resilient, and resource efficient economy.

Through Nelum Yaya Foundation’s CSR program this year, school shoes are provided to 84 schools belonging to Mahianganaya and Ridhimaliyadda education zones, which are located in Badulla District, Uva Province, which has the least population in Sri Lanka.

Accordingly, on the occasion of the birthday of the founder of Nelum Yaya Foundation and the CSR Program, school shoes worth Rs. 103,715 were given to 25 identified children with economic difficulties studying in Mahiyangana Primary School, Senanigama Primary School, Siddhartha Primary School, Mahiyangana National School and Dambara College.

Nelum Yaya implemented the first phase of the program earlier this year and we donated school shoes for 10 economically challenged children who were identified through the principals of Bhaddatta Secondary School of Mahianganaya Sora Bora Colony, Mahianganaya National School and Arawatta Junior College.

Nelum Yaya Foundation – 0114 342 646 [email protected]

The Embassy of Sri Lanka in Iran, with the assistance of the Association of Air Transport & Tourism Agencies of Iran and the Sri Lanka Tea Board, successfully organized Sri Lanka’s participation in the 16th Tehran International Exhibition of Tourism and Related Industries held from 07-10 February 2023 at the Tehran International Fairground in Iran.

More than 30,000 visitors representing 45 countries participated in the event and about 200 domestic and foreign exhibitors including Tehran based diplomatic missions, travel agencies, airlines, cruise lines, hotels, insurance services, travel, hospitality & tourism faculties of several universities showcased their services.

The Sri Lankan Pavilion of the exhibition was declared open by Minister of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts of Iran Ezzatollah Zarghami with the participation of senior Government officials, members of Iran Tourism Association, diplomats, Iran travel agents and tour operators. The Pavilion portrayed Sri Lanka’s attractive tourism themes and a variety of unique products . All visitors to the Pavilion also had an opportunity to gather more information on tourism through promotional videos, “So Sri Lanka” brochures, leaflets from Sri Lankan travel companies and presentations made by the Sri Lanka Embassy staff.

At the press conference arranged by the organizers of the Tourism Exhibition, Ambassador G.M.V. Wishwanath Aponsu highlighted Sri Lanka’s natural beauty, rich culture & arts, ayurveda medicine & herbal drinks, traditional Sri Lankan cuisine etc. While briefing on the recent developments of the tourism industry in the country, the Sri Lankan envoy requested all tourism stakeholders in Iran to promote tourism and encourage Iranian tourists to visit Sri Lanka expecially during the upcoming Nowruz holiday season-March 2023 (Persian New Year).

Ambassador Wishwanath Aponsu had meetings with heads of travel & tourism faculties of universities based in Tehran, senior officials of the Iran Tourism Ministry, Chairman of the Association of Air Transport & Tourism Agencies and country managers of airlines and key travel agents in Iran. After the Ambassador’s comprehensive briefing that highlighted a 75% growth of Iranian tourist arrivals to Sri Lanka in 2022 compared to the year 2019, all tourism stakeholders assured their fullest support to uplift the two-way tourism between Iran and Sri Lanka for mutual benefit.

The Ceylon tea counter arranged by the Embassy with the assistance of the Sri Lanka Tea Board was very popular among the visitors. The counter displayed seven assortments of tea from the main seven tea growing regions of NuwaraEliya, UdaPussellawa, Dimbula, Uva, Kandy, Sabaragamuwa and Ruhuna and freshly brewed “Ceylon tea” with other refreshments was offered to high-level dignitaries and visitors during the opening day of the Exhibition. Promotional tea samples and Ceylon tea brochures were also distributed among the visitors.

The Tehran International Exhibition of Tourism and Related Industries is the largest professional tourism exhibition hosted by the Islamic Republic of Iran under the auspices of the Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts. It is regarded as a meeting place for tourism professionals and service providers from the tourism industry to promote incoming, domestic and outgoing tourism.

Embassy of Sri Lanka

Tehran