Sri Lanka and the Emerging Order in South Asia

A think tank discussion focusing on Sri Lanka’s strides in reviving its relationship with the US and India will take place in Washington on Wednesday 24 June.

Acting Director, South Asia Center, Atlantic Council, Dr. Bharath Gopalaswamy will moderate the discussion on Sri Lanka and the Emerging order in South Asia. Introductory Remarks will be by Sri Lanka’s Ambassador to the United States, Prasad Kariyawasam.

The discussion will also focus on Sri Lanka’s efforts to rebuild its economy and further its strategic importance in South Asia. Colombo’s top priority is the formulation of a national policy framework, including the End of Displacement and Reconciliation, which will guide the country for years to come.

In this context, as the United States and Sri Lanka work to deepen their longstanding commitment to bilateral relations, the panelists will explore the potential for the two countries to support one another in the transition toward a dynamic, new order in South Asia.

Lisa Curtis, Senior Research Fellow, Asian, The Davis Institute for National Security and Foreign Policy at The Heritage Foundation will host a luncheon on Thursday, with regard to post-war economic development in Northern Sri Lanka and the importance of supporting entrepreneurship, market access, and training opportunities and revamping the region’s approach to donor aid.

Meanwhile, The Brookings-LSE Project on Internal Displacement will host a culminating event on Friday to look back on over 20 years of ground-breaking accomplishments and identify future challenges for workaing on issues of internal displacement. This is a remarkable story of how international law was made and the humanitarian world changed through the collaboration between an independent UN expert and a US think-tank, supported by international lawyers, governments, NGOs, and academics.

Speakers will include key actors in putting internally displaced persons (IDPs) on the international agenda, including Francis Deng, Walter KÃlin, Chaloka Beyani, Roberta Cohen, and many others. Contributions on work undertaken in Sri Lanka will feature at the sessions.(Daily News)