Assessment of ‘Aswesuma’ appeals and objections to kick-off

The assessment of 968,000 appeals and 17,500 objections received for ‘Aswesuma’ will kick off, the Ministry of Finance announced today.

ADB launches two publications on SL’s energy sector

Sri Lanka today saw the launch of two energy sector publications, supported by the Asian Development Bank (ADB), which map the journey of the local electricity supply industry.

CCC calls for responsible action and patience on debt restructuring plan

The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce (CCC) urges all political parties and stakeholders concerned to act with responsibility and await the finalization of the proposed debt restructuring plan.

Nas Daily to create content for Sri Lanka Tourism

Nuseir Yassin, an Arab-Israeli vlogger who creates content under the ‘Nas Daily’ banner, is expected to create three videos to promote Sri Lanka for tourism and investment.

WTTC and UNWTO ink historic MoU to uplift global tourism

For the first time in history, two of the world’s leading travel & tourism organisations representing the global public and private sectors have agreed to work together across a number of key objectives.

National inflation eases to 22.1% in May

National inflation as measured by National Consumer Price Index (NCPI) eased to 22.1 percent in May on a year-on-year (YoY) basis from 33.6 percent in April.

SL able to boost trade with the UK as new trading scheme comes into force

Sri Lanka will be able to improve trading with the United Kingdom as the new Developing Countries Trading Scheme (DCTS) comes into force from today. Sri Lanka is among the 65 countries that would benefit from the new facility.

SL gets first electric taxi service with the launch of ‘E-drive’

Sri Lanka now has its first electric taxi facility, with David Pieris Motor Company (DPMC) having launched today the ‘E-drive’ service.

Institute of Analytics UK to pave way for data-driven innovation in Sri Lanka

“You need to nurture a thriving analytics ecosystem in Sri Lanka,” said Institute of Analytics Director of Education Dr. Clair Walsh, the visionary behind the institute. She revealed this at the official launch of the Institute of Analytics UK, held at Courtyard by Marriot, Colombo, on June 5.

Child labour on the rise for first time in 20 years: ILO

For the first time in 20 years, child labour is on the rise, the International Labour Organisation (ILO) shared.

Barista expands with 25 outlets becoming Sri Lanka’s largest cafe chain

Coffee chain Barista has taken another significant stride in its journey towards becoming Sri Lanka’s largest and most preferred cafe chain with the opening their 25th outlet in Sri Lanka. This expansion not only solidifies Barista’s position as an industry leader but also demonstrates its commitment to providing exceptional coffee experiences to its customers. The recent launch of the 25th Barista Express outlet in Nugegoda Cool Planet marks a r

Sri Lanka now eligible to access ADB’s concessional financing

Sri Lanka will be able to speed up its efforts in reviving its economy as it has obtained much-awaited approval from the Asian Development Bank (ABD) to access concessional financing.

FAO to establish € 6.5 mn food safety system in SL via EU-funded BESPA-FOOD project

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) through the European Union (EU)-funded BESPA-FOOD (Best Standardized Practices for the Agri-Food Sector) project will support the government to establish a well-coordinated food safety system in the country.

Unruly air passenger incidents on the rise: IATA

A new analysis by International Air Transport Association (IATA) released this week showed that post-pandemic, unruly passenger incidents are on the rise.

Tourist arrivals fall below 100,000 for first time in 2023

Tourist arrivals to Sri Lanka fell below the 100,000 mark for the first time this year, with the month of May welcoming a total of 83, 309 international visitors.

Monetary Board relaxes policy interest rates

The Monetary Board of the Central Bank relaxes policy interest rates by 250 basis points. Accordingly, SDFR comes down to 13 percent and SLFR to 14 percent.

Colombo inflation eases to 25.2% in May

Headline inflation in Colombo district measured by Colombo Consumer Price Index (CCPI) decelerated to 25.2 percent in May from 35.3 percent in April largely owing to higher base effects in last year.

EDB to host ‘Open Day’ to encourage exports

The Export Development Board (EDB) will host an ‘Open Day’ event in mid-June, an effort towards providing businesses a platform to explore the opportunities and avenues to cater to the international market.

Food security seen improving, but prevalent within specific regions in SL: FAO

Food security in Sri Lanka is improving across all provinces, but is still prevalent within specific regions, the Crop and Food Security Assessment Mission (CFSAM) report revealed.

SL to get Cyber Security Authority this year

Efforts are underway to form a Cyber Security Authority this year, the Ministry of Technology announced today.

Despite tentative improvement IMF says SL’s macroeconomic and policy environment remains challenging

Concluding its visit to Sri Lanka, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) staff mission says the macroeconomic situation in the country is showing tentative signs of improvement, with inflation moderating, the exchange rate stabilizing and the Central Bank rebuilding reserves buffers.

Sancharaka Udawa kicks off after 3 years

The 10th edition of Sancharaka Udawa, Sri Lanka’s largest travel and tourism fair, kicked off yesterday, bringing together industry officials and professionals onto a single platform.

Fresh tourism campaign launched by top industry players to entice Indian market

People’s Bank denies social media claims on loan write-offs

People’s Bank has denied views expressed on the Bank’s non-performing loan write-offs as shared in certain social media groups.

Three more promotional events to entice Chinese travelers in May

To entice Chinese travelers to visit the island nation, the Ministry of Tourism and the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotions Bureau (SLTPB) has planned a series of activities to be carried out towards the second half of May.

International tourism on track towards recovery: UNWTO Barometer

International tourism, which was severely crippled due to implications stemming from the Covid-19 pandemic, is well on its way to recovery, the latest UNWTO World Tourism barometer revealed.

Japan, UNDP to help improve women’s economic well-being with US$ 3.8 mn grant

The government of Japan and the UNDP have joined hands to improve the women’s economic well-being for smallholder farmer families in Sri Lanka.

March on track to record 125,000 tourist arrivals

Tourist arrivals to the country for the month of March is well on track to record 125,000, provisional data from Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority shows.

President hopeful of new financial culture following IMF deal

President Ranil Wickremesinghe yesterday expressed confidence in creating a new financial culture and environment that had not prevailed in Sri Lanka before, through the Extended Fund Facility (EFF) programme that was approved by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) Executive Board this week.

Amendments to current tax policy to be discussed at first IMF review in June

Sri Lanka is expected to amend the existing tax mechanism when the first review of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) Extend Fund Facility (EFF) takes place this June.