Sri Lanka Country Overview 2008
Sri Lanka’s long running armed conflict is an important stumbling block to long-term development and poverty alleviation in Sri Lanka. The conflict has deep historical roots, and involves multiple issues such as ethnicity and access to economic opportunities. In 2007, the Government has gained control of the Eastern Province but battles still continue in the North.
Despite the conflict, economic growth has averaged 4.9 percent annually since 1977, partly bolstered by broad-based liberalization initiated more than three decades ago. In the last couple of years, growth has averaged about 7 percent per annum, but high inflation and a widening current account deficit are emerging areas of concern.
Poverty in Sri Lanka has declined rapidly in the past five years to 15.2 percent of the population according to the most recent data from the Department of Census and Statistics. However, poverty in the estate sector remains a serious concern. Sri Lanka is on track to achieve most MDG targets, but now faces the challenge of achieving quality, relevance and sustainability in key public services
Development challenges
Sri Lanka’s main development challenges, as emphasized in the Government’s 10-year Development Framework, are to accelerate growth through increased investment in infrastructure, to achieve a more equitable development through assistance to the lagging regions, and to strengthen public service delivery to ensure quality and performance of services to meet modern development needs. There is also a significant need for developing the North and the East which have suffered disproportionally from the conflict and lack of investments. At the same time, the Government faces the challenge of stabilizing the economy by reducing inflation and the fiscal deficit, while aiming at higher growth for a sustained period.
The World Bank in Sri Lanka
The new World Bank Country Assistance Strategy was prepared in broad consultation with Sri Lankan communities, and will guide our work from 2009 to 2012. Its main strategic objectives are threefold. The first is to create opportunities for equitable growth and economic development, especially in lagging regions of the country. The second is to help Sri Lanka accelerate economic growth by improving competitiveness, and the investment climate and the third is to help the country ensure that service delivery is effective and accountable to citizens.
A new feature of the strategy is a “conflict filter” designed to help the World Bank ensure that its support is insulated from possible distortions by the ongoing conflict. Just as important, opportunities to address the causes and consequences of conflict will be proactively identified during the implementation of the strategy.
- Source Worldbank
My question to Elakiri member is can we end this war and can Our President Develop the country ???
Sri Lanka’s long running armed conflict is an important stumbling block to long-term development and poverty alleviation in Sri Lanka. The conflict has deep historical roots, and involves multiple issues such as ethnicity and access to economic opportunities. In 2007, the Government has gained control of the Eastern Province but battles still continue in the North.
Despite the conflict, economic growth has averaged 4.9 percent annually since 1977, partly bolstered by broad-based liberalization initiated more than three decades ago. In the last couple of years, growth has averaged about 7 percent per annum, but high inflation and a widening current account deficit are emerging areas of concern.
Poverty in Sri Lanka has declined rapidly in the past five years to 15.2 percent of the population according to the most recent data from the Department of Census and Statistics. However, poverty in the estate sector remains a serious concern. Sri Lanka is on track to achieve most MDG targets, but now faces the challenge of achieving quality, relevance and sustainability in key public services
Development challenges
Sri Lanka’s main development challenges, as emphasized in the Government’s 10-year Development Framework, are to accelerate growth through increased investment in infrastructure, to achieve a more equitable development through assistance to the lagging regions, and to strengthen public service delivery to ensure quality and performance of services to meet modern development needs. There is also a significant need for developing the North and the East which have suffered disproportionally from the conflict and lack of investments. At the same time, the Government faces the challenge of stabilizing the economy by reducing inflation and the fiscal deficit, while aiming at higher growth for a sustained period.
The World Bank in Sri Lanka
The new World Bank Country Assistance Strategy was prepared in broad consultation with Sri Lankan communities, and will guide our work from 2009 to 2012. Its main strategic objectives are threefold. The first is to create opportunities for equitable growth and economic development, especially in lagging regions of the country. The second is to help Sri Lanka accelerate economic growth by improving competitiveness, and the investment climate and the third is to help the country ensure that service delivery is effective and accountable to citizens.
A new feature of the strategy is a “conflict filter” designed to help the World Bank ensure that its support is insulated from possible distortions by the ongoing conflict. Just as important, opportunities to address the causes and consequences of conflict will be proactively identified during the implementation of the strategy.
- Source Worldbank
My question to Elakiri member is can we end this war and can Our President Develop the country ???
