IMF Staff Concludes June 2026 Visit to Sri Lanka: Key Takeaways
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) team, led by Mission Chief Evan Papageorgiou, concluded IMF staff visit to Sri Lanka on June 30, 2026. The team was in Colombo from June 24 to 30 to review recent macroeconomic developments and progress on the economic reform program supported by the IMF’s Extended Fund Facility (EFF) arrangement. This […]
Sri Lanka School Junk Food Ban 2026: Tackling Childhood Obesity & NCDs
Sri Lanka School Junk Food Ban 2026 – Sri Lanka has taken a decisive step to improve child health by enforcing a nationwide ban on junk food and unhealthy snacks in schools. Starting in late June 2026 (enforcement reported from around June 23), the Education Ministry, in coordination with the Health Ministry, has prohibited the […]
Sri Lanka Single-Use Plastic Bottles Ban 2026: Government Leads the Charge
Sri Lanka has taken another bold stride in the battle against plastic pollution. From 31 May 2026, the purchase and use of single-use plastic bottles has been officially banned across all state institutions nationwide. A special circular issued by the Ministry of Public Administration, Provincial Councils and Local Government places direct responsibility on heads of […]
Sri Lanka PIC-NET 2026: Public Sector Digital Transformation Launch
The Sri Lanka PIC-NET 2026 marks a major step forward in the country’s digital economy journey. The Ministry of Digital Economy has officially launched the Public Impact Champions Network (PIC-NET) as a pilot institutional network to accelerate the digitalization of public services. This initiative was announced during an awareness programme for coordinating executive officers held […]
Middle East Crisis Sri Lanka Labour Market Impact 2026
The Middle East Crisis Sri Lanka Labour Market 2026 situation highlights growing challenges for the country’s economy and workforce. The International Labour Organization (ILO) has warned that the ongoing crisis in the Middle East is creating a slow-moving shock that affects global labour markets, with clear spillover effects on Sri Lanka through reduced migrant deployments, […]
Sri Lanka to Formulate Inbound Labour Migration Policy to Regulate Foreign Workers
In a significant policy shift, Sri Lanka’s Cabinet has approved the formulation of an Inbound Labour Migration Policy to regulate foreign workers entering the country for employment. The decision was taken at the Cabinet meeting held on 18 May 2026 and published on 20 May 2026. The proposed policy aims to create a structured framework […]
Why Is the Sri Lankan Rupee Weakening in 2026? A Bloomberg Analysis
The Sri Lankan rupee has emerged as Asia’s worst-performing currency this month, with its slide intensifying due to speculation of further weakening, according to Sri Lanka’s Deputy Minister of Finance Anil Jayantha Fernando. In an interview with Bloomberg, the minister highlighted that importers are aggressively buying dollars while exporters are delaying the conversion of their […]
Why Is the Sri Lankan Rupee Under Pressure in 2026? CBSL Governor Explains
Why is the Sri Lankan rupee under pressure in 2026? The Sri Lankan rupee has come under renewed pressure in 2026, weakening by around 4.8% year-to-date by mid-May, according to remarks attributed to CBSL Governor Dr. Nandalal Weerasinghe. However, the Governor has stressed that the current situation is not a repeat of the 2022 currency […]
Sri Lanka’s New Metro Buses: A Welcome Step Forward, But When Will We Truly End the Overcrowded, Polluting Bus Culture?
Sri Lanka New Metro Buses – Sri Lanka has taken a visibly positive step in public transport with the introduction of a new low-floor priority bus service, widely referred to as the Lanka Metro Transit / Metro Bus service. Launched as a pilot project on 21 April 2026, on key routes such as Makumbura to […]
Sri Lanka’s Official Reserves Dip Below US$7 Billion in April 2026: Implications for Economic Stability
Sri Lanka official reserves dip below US$7 Billion threshold once again. According to the latest data released by the Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL), total official reserves declined from US$7.026 billion at the end of March 2026 to US$6.759 billion by the end of April 2026. This development has sparked discussions among economists, businesses, […]