Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake is scheduled to deliver a keynote address today at the World Governments Summit 2025, held in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

The World Governments Summit 2025 commenced on February 11 under the theme ‘Shaping Future Governments.’ This prestigious global forum gathers government leaders, international organizations, global policymakers, private sector representatives, and thought leaders.

The objective is to foster international cooperation, explore innovative governance solutions, and inspire the next generation of global leadership.

The President left for the UAE on February 10 following an invitation from UAE President Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan. His speech is expected to highlight Sri Lanka’s vision for governance, economic reforms, and international collaboration.

This participation marks a significant step in strengthening Sri Lanka’s global presence and engaging with key international stakeholders.

In a bid to bolster its presence in the Sri Lankan tourism market, Tourism Malaysia has embarked on a strategic Sales Mission to Colombo. T

his initiative aims to deepen collaboration with Sri Lankan travel industry stakeholders, boost visitor numbers, and showcase Malaysia’s diverse travel experiences.

With tourism playing a crucial role in Malaysia’s economy, this campaign underscores the country’s commitment to strengthening ties with Sri Lanka and attracting more Sri Lankan tourists in the coming years.

The mission follows an impressive surge in Sri Lankan tourist arrivals to Malaysia, with 58,015 visitors recorded in 2024.

 This marks a remarkable 122% increase compared to pre-pandemic figures in 2019 when only 26,058 Sri Lankans traveled to Malaysia.

The rise in numbers highlights Malaysia’s growing appeal as a prime travel destination for Sri Lankan tourists.

Enhanced connectivity has played a pivotal role in this growth, with 30 weekly flights from Colombo and a total seat capacity of 4,990, making travel between the two nations more convenient than ever.

Hishamuddin Mustafa, Director of Tourism Malaysia Chennai (South India and Sri Lanka), emphasized the significance of the mission, stating, “Our goal is to reconnect with Sri Lanka’s tourism sector, express gratitude for their unwavering support, and explore new collaborative opportunities.

 The arrival of 45 Malaysian sellers, the largest-ever delegation, demonstrates our dedication to strengthening Malaysia’s position in the Sri Lankan market.”

In anticipation of the Visit Malaysia Year 2026 (VMY2026) campaign, Malaysia aims to attract 100,000 Sri Lankan travelers. Mustafa highlighted Malaysia’s diverse appeal, catering to a wide range of travel interests, including Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions (MICE), destination weddings, and family vacations. “With Visit Malaysia Year 2026 approaching, we are eager to showcase new destinations, cultural attractions, and world-class venues,” he added.

The mission serves as a critical step toward increasing tourism exchanges and reinforcing the long-standing relationship between Malaysia and Sri Lanka. The 45-member delegation is focused on fostering partnerships, sharing industry insights, and enhancing connectivity between the two countries’ tourism sectors.

Sri Lanka has emerged as a key source market for Malaysia, ranking among the top 20 in 2024 and second in South Asia, following India.

 To further boost Sri Lankan arrivals, Malaysia plans to introduce exclusive travel packages and promotions tailored specifically for Sri Lankan travelers under the VMY2026 campaign.

Additionally, Malaysia’s tourism authorities are working to promote lesser-known destinations such as Sabah, Sarawak, and Langkawi, extending beyond the popular attractions in Kuala Lumpur.

Malaysia offers a rich variety of travel experiences, including community-based tourism, wedding tourism, medical tourism, and film tourism. Incentives are also being introduced for niche markets such as film production tourism.

Officials emphasized Malaysia’s affordability, particularly in medical tourism, positioning the country as a cost-effective and attractive destination.

Malaysia’s historical and cultural ties with Sri Lanka were also highlighted, with references to shared culinary traditions such as ‘dodol.’

Additionally, several Sri Lankan restaurant chains, including ISSO and Ministry of Crab, have expanded operations to Malaysia, further strengthening bilateral cultural connections.

However, Malaysian officials urged Sri Lanka to enhance its global tourism image by moving beyond war-time perceptions.

High Commissioner of Malaysia to Sri Lanka and the Maldives, Badli Hisham Adam, expressed Malaysia’s openness to exploring visa-free travel for Sri Lankans.

However, he noted that the Sri Lankan government must initiate an official request to facilitate this process. Malaysia has already implemented visa-free entry for several countries, including China and India, as part of its global tourism promotion strategy.

With Malaysia leading ASEAN in international tourist arrivals, welcoming approximately 38 million visitors last year, the Sales Mission to Sri Lanka is a significant step toward further expanding its tourism footprint in the region. By fostering closer ties with Sri Lanka and enhancing accessibility, Malaysia is poised to become an even more attractive destination for Sri Lankan travelers in the years to come

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) and Sri Lanka recently engaged in further discussions on key economic issues, focusing on tax policies, revenue management, and public sector efficiency. On Sunday, February 10, IMF Executive Director Dr. Krishnamoorthy Subramanian met with Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya at her office in Colombo to review these matters.

According to a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office, the meeting emphasized the necessity of tax policy reforms and revenue optimization while also exploring strategies to enhance the effectiveness of the public sector. Additionally, Prime Minister Amarasuriya outlined the government’s long-term development plans, stressing policies aimed at ensuring economic stability and fostering sustainable growth.

The discussions come at a time when the Sri Lankan government is attempting to modify certain conditions agreed upon under the IMF-supported Extended Fund Facility (EFF) program. However, economic experts, including former Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) Dr. W.A. Wijewardena, warn that these constraints may pose challenges in meeting revenue targets.

Dr. Wijewardena pointed out that the government’s fiscal policy is significantly influenced by two major factors: the loan agreement signed with the IMF by the previous administration and the requirements stipulated under the Economic Transformation Act. These commitments make it difficult for the government to achieve its revenue target of 15.1% of GDP for 2025, which equates to approximately Rs. 5.5 trillion.

To meet this target and secure the next tranche of the IMF’s financial assistance, Dr. Wijewardena emphasized the need for new taxes. He noted that without additional tax measures, the country might fail to meet the required revenue levels, potentially jeopardizing the fourth installment of the IMF’s EFF program and violating the provisions of the Economic Transformation Act.

One contentious issue is the property tax, which had been proposed by the previous government as part of its negotiations with the IMF. The current administration has abandoned this tax, creating a revenue shortfall that must be compensated through alternative taxation measures.

Due to these financial constraints, the government’s ability to allocate funds for public welfare programs remains limited. Dr. Wijewardena stated that budgetary policies must align with both IMF obligations and the fiscal targets set by the Economic Transformation Act, making it challenging to introduce significant relief measures for the public.

 As Sri Lanka continues its economic recovery efforts, balancing IMF commitments with the nation’s financial needs remains a critical challenge for the administration of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake. The coming months will be crucial in determining how the government navigates these fiscal hurdles while striving for sustainable economic growth.

The Cabinet of Ministers has granted approval to recruit 7,456 personnel for vacant posts in various government institutions under the relevant ministries.

Review by Officers’ Committee

Cabinet Spokesperson Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa announced that the decision was based on a resolution submitted by the Prime Minister and approved during the Cabinet meeting held on February 9, 2025.

The Officers’ Committee, appointed to review government sector recruitment and staff management, analyzed requests from respective ministries to identify essential vacancies in departments and institutions.

Key Highlights of the Decision

• 7,456 vacancies across various ministries will be filled.
• The Officers’ Committee was established on December 30, 2024, under the Secretary to the Prime Minister to assess recruitment needs and priorities.
• Recruitment will be conducted based on necessity, priority, and time frames, ensuring efficient government service management.

This strategic recruitment aims to strengthen the public sector workforce and enhance the efficiency of government institutions.

The Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) announced yesterday that there will be no power cuts today (11) as the electricity demand is lower due to the Poya holiday.

Following the nationwide power outage last Sunday, all three generators at the Norochcholai Coal Power Plantbecame inoperative, leading to scheduled power cuts of one-and-a-half hours on the 9th and 10th of February to manage electricity demand.

Norochcholai Restoration Progress

CEB Chairman Dr. Tilak Siyambalapitiya stated that efforts are underway to expedite the restoration process at Norochcholai, and full capacity is expected to be added back to the national grid by Friday, February 14.

“We believe we will be able to restore the power supply to normal within the next three to four days. By February 14, we expect full restoration, which would eliminate the need for demand management. However, we are also working to restore power earlier than expected, and if successful, we will notify the public in advance,” he said.

Technical Challenges at Norochcholai

Dr. Siyambalapitiya further explained that Norochcholai is Sri Lanka’s strongest coal power plant, generating the highest electricity output from coal. However, due to its protection mechanisms, the plant cannot be restarted immediately after a sudden shutdown.

“Even if there is a sudden power outage, the Norochcholai power plant cannot be stopped at once, nor can it restart immediately. When it is stopped, there is an immense steam build-up. That is the technology. It takes around four days to restart all three generators,” he explained.

The CEB assured that ongoing power cuts may be reduced in the coming days as restoration progresses.

A few showers may occur in Batticaloa, Ampara, Matale, Badulla and Polonnaruwa districts. Showers may occur at a few places in Galle, Matara, Kaluthara and Rathnapura districts in the evening or night.
Mainly fair weather will prevail over the other areas of the island.

Misty conditions can be expected at some places in Western, Sabaragamuwa and Central provinces and in Galle, Matara, Badulla and Kurunegala districts during the morning.