Executive Director Aryasinha assess Sri Lanka’s current relations in Central Asia

August 21, 2024    Reading Time: 2 minutes

Reading Time: 2 min read

Executive Director of the Lakshman Kadirgamar Institute of International Relations and Strategic Studies (LKI), Ambassador Ravinatha Aryasinha on 21 August 2024 participated as a panellist at the inaugural ‘Central Asia Forum’ hosted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in collaboration with the Geopolitical Cartographer.

The event held at the Granbell Hotel Colombo, brought together experts, policymakers, and stakeholders to discuss the growing importance of Central Asia in global geopolitics and economic development, and the opportunities in it for Sri Lanka. Foreign Minister M.U.M. Ali Sabry was the Chief Guest, while Foreign Secretary Aruni Wijewardene delivered the opening address.

Assessing Sri Lanka’s current relations with Central Asian countries, in a panel moderated by Mr. Erik Solheim, International Advisory Council Member of Geopolitical Cartographer, Ambassador Aryasinha highlighted that political relations were at a high level reflected in that over the years as Sri Lanka faced multiple resolutions in the HRC in Geneva, Central Asian countries which had a longstanding connection with Sri Lanka had never voted against Sri Lanka’s interest. However, improvement was needed in economic relations with trade remaining minimal with tea comprising over 90% of its exports, while investment and tourist traffic from the region was negligible.

Ambassador Aryasinha observed that while a diplomatic presence in the region would help in coordinating the efforts at reaching out to Central Asia, Sri Lanka must also avail of the geopolitical significance of the region and the engagement in it by all major powers, bilaterally and multilaterally. He said the region’s central involvement in various international organizations such as the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) and the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia (CICA) with Eurasian powers such China, Russia, India, Pakistan and Turkey, as well economic and defence partnerships with Western powers, also presents unique diplomatic opportunities for Sri Lanka, which also plays a role in these organizations.