Arundathie Abeysinghe

Impact on tea exports, tourism and foreign currency crisis. A prolonged clash risks stopping exports altogether, not least because of rising energy prices in Europe. At the moment no wheat, sunflower oil, iron and steel products are arriving from Russia and Ukraine.

United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet calls for sanctions against Sri Lanka for its failure to identify those responsible of killing 40,000 civilians during the 1983-2009 civil war. The Sri Lankan government fears that the arrest of a suspect near London could lead to the detention of current military officers and government officials.

The government follows the fighting, but has said it will remain neutral. Moscow is among the main buyers of Sri Lankan tea. Many medical students are stranded in Kyiv.

Political parties that oppose the president are incapable of coordinated and unified action. Cleavages weaken the opposition and going it alone will not work.

Sri Lanka’s foreign minister told the Indian government that their bilateral relationship is strong. However, concerns are growing in Delhi over Chinese investments on the island. Control over Hambantota port boosts China's position in the Indian Ocean.

The Council’s next session could hold Sri Lanka responsible for war crimes and other abuses. Trade concessions by the European Union are at risk. If they were lost, country's economic situation would worsen further.

Thanks to European Union funding, the Heritage Trails, a collection of walking trails that wind through the country over 300 kilometres, opened. The project is defined by signature experiences and sustainability that aim to develop the local economy while limiting its environmental impact.

The government's decision to switch to organic farming has devastated rice cultivation, reducing production by up to 50 per cent. The problem lies in the compatibility between seeds and fertilisers. For consumers, the situation is already critical due to the high prices of essential goods.

The Sri Lankan government banned a shipment from China. Driven by the need for Chinese help to cope with its economic crisis, Sri Lankan authorities had agreed to pay for the supply, but the Chinese company claims Sri Lanka violated the terms of the agreement.

For Sri Lanka, imports are increasingly expensive. China and India have granted lines of credit, but analysts note that they are short-term solutions. Due to the inability to buy fuel, the government announced daily power cuts.

In 1987, an agreement was signed between India and Sri Lanka providing for the devolution of powers to the Tamil communities. In a letter to the Indian government, some legislators underline the promises not kept so far and ask for external intervention to resolve the issue.

The contract concerns the joint development of a storage facility on Sri Lanka's east coast. Indian funding counteracts Chinese influence. The turning point came with the economic crisis of 2021: Colombo will need 4.5 billion dollars this year to repay its foreign debts.