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IPS News Archive :: January - December 2007

19-20 December, 2007

3rd Annual South Asian Conference on Trade and Development, New Delhi, India

Deshal de Mel, Research Officer, IPS presented two papers at the “3 rd Annual South Asian Conference on Trade and Development” organized by CENTAD, India in New Delhi during 19-20 December, 2007. The papers were entitled "Trends in Sri Lanka 's Trade Flows with South Asia" and "Domestic Challenges of the Liberalization of Trade in Services: The Case of the Indo-Lanka CEPA.”

10-12 December, 2007

Deshal de Mel, Research Officer, IPS presented a paper entitled "Domestic Challenges in the Liberalization of Trade in Services: A Case of the Sri Lankan Telecom Sector" in the session "Domestic Preparedness: The Challenges of Trade Liberalization and Globalization" at the 10th Sustainable Development Conference, organized by Sustainable Development Policy Initiative (SDPI), Islamabad, Pakistan during 10-12 December, 2007.

7 December, 2007

Book Launch: "South Asia in the WTO”
Edited by Saman Kelegama, Trans Asia Hotel, Colombo

The book, “South Asia in the WTO” edited by Saman Kelegama, and published by Sage Publications, India, was launched in the presence of Prof. G.L. Peiris, Minister of Export Development and International Trade on 7 December, 2007 at Trans Asia Hotel.

The book was reviewed by Janak de Silva, Senior State Counsel, Attorney General’s Department & Visiting Lecturer in International Trade Law, Sri Lanka Law College, and Dr. Biplov Choudhary, Trade Specialist, UNDP Regional Centre in Colombo.

The book examines the position of each South Asian country in the multilateral trading system as defined by the WTO and highlights various concerns South Asian countries have on key WTO issues in agriculture, industry, services, and development dimensions. The possibility of South Asian countries formulating a common position in the WTO negotiations is also explored in detail.

“South Asia in the WTO” is a compilation of papers which were presented at an international conference jointly organized by the IPS and the Friedrich Ebert Stiftung, Colombo, in 2006.

Sunday Island, 23 December, 2007- Review (PDF Format 875kb)

Colombo Post, 11 December, 2007 -" WTO vital entity for South Asia – Kelegama" (PDF Format 65kb)

Daily Mirror, 10 December, 2007 - Launch of “WTO in South Asia” (PDF Format 16kb)

3 December, 2007

The event was organized by the Asian Forum Japan (AFJ) in association with the Centre for Studies in International Relations and Development (CSIRD), India, and supported by the Sasakawa Peace Foundation (SPF), Japan. At the event, Janaka Wijayasiri made a presentation on “BIMSTEC – Japan Comprehensive Economic Cooperation: Sri Lankan Perspective.” Research scholars and policy makers from the BIMSTEC countries and Japan participated at the conference. Following the conference, proceedings of the day were discussed with some senior Japanese government officials and Diet Members on how Japan could play a greater role in the sub-region.

28 November, 2007

Regional Consultation on Export Diversification in the Asia-Pacific Countries in the Post-ATC Era, Colombo

L to R: Masato Abe, Economic Affairs Officer, UNESCAP; Michiko Hayahi, Economic Affairs Officer, DITC, UNCTAD; Cecilia Mei-Yun Oh, Trade Policy Adviser, UNDP-RCC, Executive Director, and Ratnakar Adhikari, Executive Chairman, SAWTEE.

Executive Director made a presentation on “Meeting the Post-Safeguard Challenge by Innovation: Sri Lanka's Ready-Made Garment Industry" at the Session on "Post-Safeguards Impact: Challenges for the Asia-Pacific Countries" at the "Regional Consultation on Export Diversification in the Asia-Pacific Countries in the Post-ATC Era" organized by the UNDP Regional Centre in Colombo and UNDP Sri Lanka. The event took place at Cinnamon Grand, Colombo on 28 November, 2007.

23-25 November, 2007 - Wadduwa
16-18 November, 2007 - Dambulla

The IPS in collaboration with the World Bank Institute (WBI) organized two residential workshops on “Service Delivery and Provincial Budgeting for Promoting Pro-Poor Growth and Development in Sri Lanka”, the first workshop at Hotel Amaya Lake, Dambulla during 16-18 November and the second at The-Blue-Water Hotel, Wadduwa during 23-25 November. Prasanna Gunawardena, former Mayor of Colombo inaugurated the first workshop in Dambulla while H.P.C. Herath, Secretary, Ministry of Provincial Councils and Local Government inaugurated the second workshop in Wadduwa.

The main objective of the workshops was to address the key issues that would spur pro-poor growth. The focus was on highlighting implementation strategies that will achieve national goals, and are feasible from a resource and political economy perspective. The workshops aimed to contribute towards developing policy innovations which will effectively address the economic disparities across the country, reduce poverty and help generate robust economic growth.

Concept Note (PDF Format 11 kb)

Programme
Dambulla, 16-18 November, 2007 (PDF Format 165kb)
Wadduwa, 23-25 November, 2007 (PDF Format 166 kb)

 21-22 October, 2007

Conference on “China Sri Lanka Relations”, BCIS, Colombo

Executive Director delivered the Keynote Address at the Economic Forum on “Exploring Potential for Economic and Trade Cooperation for Mutual Benefit” at the Conference on “China Sri Lanka Relations” to mark the 50 th Anniversary of Diplomatic Relations, organized by the Bandaranaike Centre for International Studies (BCIS) Colombo in association with the China Institute of International Studies (CIIS), Beijing during 21-22 October, 2007.

Press Announcement (PDF Format 89 kb)

Presentation made by the Executive Director (PDF Format 260 kb)

18-20 October, 2007

International Conference on “Countering Terrorism”, BMICH, Colombo

Executive Director was the Principal Speaker on “Socio-Economic Cost of Terrorism” at the International Conference on "Countering Terrorism” organized by the Lakshman Kadirgamar Institute for International Relations and Strategic Studies, BMICH during 18-20 October, 2007. He was also a panelist in the concluding session of the conference.

Conference Programme (PDF Format 15 kb)

Presentation by the Executive Director (PDF Format 155 kb)

 

 6-8 September, 2007

Tea Convention Workshop, BMICH, Colombo, 6-8 September, 2007

The session was chaired by Michel de Zoysa, Chairman, Organization Committee, Colombo International Tea Convention, and included Kavi Seneviratne, Chairman, Planters’ Association of Ceylon, and K.G.B. Obeysekera, Deputy General Manager, Tea Small Holding Development Authority as the other speakers.

Presentation by the Executive Director (PDF Format 1.5MB)

 

 30 -31 August, 2007

2007 SAWTEE Conference on “Future of Trade Policy in South Asia”, Kathmandu, Nepal, 30-31 August, 2007

Executive Director participated in the 2007 SAWTEE Conference on “Future of Trade Policy in South Asia” during 30-31 August. He was a speaker at the session, “Economic Cooperation in South Asia in the Contemporary Context”, Discussant to the session, “Future of Multilateralism: Implications for South Asia”, and Chair at the concluding session on “Future of Trade Policy in South Asia.”

Gyanchara Acharya, Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Dr. Posh Ray Pandey, Member, National Planning Commission, Government of Nepal, Pradeep Mehta, Secretary-General, CUTS, India, Dr. Safdar Sohail, Director General, Foreign Trade Institute, Pakistan, and the Executive Director, IPS were the key speakers at the inaugural session of the conference.

More details of 2007 SAWTEE Conference on "Future of Trade Policy in South Asia" can be found at:
http://www.sawtee.org/uploads/events/proactreg.php

 19-23 August, 2007

IPS Librarian appointed to Governing Board and Sections of the International
Federation of Library Associations and Institutions

Premila Gamage, IPS Librarian was elected as the Chairperson to the Regional Standing Committee of Asia and Oceania (RSCAO) and to the Division VIII of Regional Activities (which covers Africa, Asia and Oceania, Latin America and the Caribbean) and also was elected to the Governing Board at the 73 rd Word Library and Information Congress and International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) General Council held in Durban, South Africa during 19-23 August, 2007.

This is the first time a Sri Lankan Librarian has been elected to serve in such bodies.

 

 17 August, 2007

International Conference on “Towards BIMSTEC-Japan Comprehensive Economic Cooperation: Sri Lankan Perspective”,
Taj Samudra Hotel, Colombo

The IPS organized an international conference on “Towards BIMSTEC-Japan Comprehensive Economic Cooperation: Sri Lankan Perspective” at the Taj Samudra Hotel, Colombo on 17 August, 2007. The event was jointly organized with the Centre for Studies in International Relations and Development (CSIRD), India, and sponsored by the Sasakawa Peace Foundation (SPF) of Japan.

The conference was inaugurated by Hon. Milinda Moragoda, Minister of Tourism, while His Excellency Kiyoshi Araki, Ambassador of Japan in Sri Lanka attended as the Guest of Honour, and Dr. Akinori Seki, President, Sasakawa Peace Foundation as the Special Guest.

The main objective of the conference was to develop an appropriate framework for understanding the future strategy towards creating close ties between BIMSTEC, Japan and Sri Lanka. The conference covered six core areas of the BIMSTEC, namely: 1) trade and investment, 2) tourism, 3) transport and communication, 4) technology, 5) energy and 6) fisheries, from a Sri Lankan perspective and how Japanese engagement in these sectors could further promote BIMSTEC regional cooperation. Research scholars and policy makers from all the BIMSTEC countries and Japan participated at the conference.

The extensive discussions that emerged during the sessions provided valuable inputs towards the final session, which discussed the “Vision of a New BIMSTEC.”

Programme (PDF Format 91kb)

Concept Note (PDF Format 18kb)

Conference in Pictures

Executive Director made a presentation on “Trade and Development” at the International Trade Law Conference 2007 on the theme “The Doha Development Agenda and the Future of the Multilateral Trading System” during 31 July-01 August 2007. The conference was organized by the Sri Lanka Law College in collaboration with the Department of Commerce of Sri Lanka and the WTO. The conference was inaugurated by Chief Justice, Hon. Sarath N. Silva in the presence of the Attorney General, C.R. De Silva, and the Minister of Tourism, Hon. Milinda Moragoda.

The other speakers at the “Trade and Development” session were Prof. A. Jayagovind, Professor of Law, National Law School of India University; Cecilia Mei-Yun Oh, Trade Policy Adviser, UNDP-RCC; and Syed Nayyar, Development Division, WTO.

More details of the International Trade Law Conference 2007 can be found at: http://www.wtoconference-srilanka.org

 9 July, 2007

IMF Article IV Consultation team visited IPS to obtain an assessment of the current state of the economy and the future challenges. The Executive Director met the team members at the IPS Conference Room on 9 July, 2007. The previous Article IV Consultation took place in October 2006. This was the first Article IV Consultation in 2007 after the IMF Resident Mission closed office in Colombo in February.

Malathy Knight-John, Research Fellow, IPS led the discussion on the findings of the recent study on “Assessing the Impacts of Privatization on Workers” conducted by the Centre for Poverty Analysis (CEPA) in Colombo on 28 June, 2007.

Daily Mirror, 2 July, 2007-- “State employees not against reforms –CEPA”
http://www.dailymirror.lk/2007/07/02/news/01.asp

The Nation, 1 July, 2007 - “Change the management but not the owners” (PDF Format 13KB)

  6-8 June, 2007

Executive Director made a presentation on “Potential for Trade and Investment through FTAs” at the “Sri Lanka Economic Summit 2007”, Cinnamon Grand, Colombo, 6-8 June, 2007. The event was jointly organized by the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce and the Board of Investment of Sri Lanka. The Session on “Trade and Investment – Unleashing the Potential” was chaired by Hon. G.L. Peiris, Minister of Export Development and International Trade and Co-Chaired by R.L. Jurianz, Executive Chairman, Imperial Tea Exports (Pvt.) Ltd. Besides the Executive Director of the IPS, the Session was addressed by Dhammika Perera, Chairman/Director General, BOI; Roshan Lyman, Head of Trade, Delegation of the European Commission of Sri Lanka; Sanjay Sudhir, Commercial and Economic Counsellor, Indian High Commission, Colombo; Muhmmed Aejaz, First Secretary, High Commission of Pakistan, Colombo; and Pradipta K Mohapatra, Chairman, Confederation of Indian Industry – Southern Region.

More details can be found at: http://www.chamber.lk/e-brochure.pdf

4-5 June, 2007

Deshal de Mel, Research Officer, IPS presented a paper on "Developmental Perspectives of Services Liberalization in the Doha Round". The conference brought together different stakeholders from Asia to discuss the future of the multilateral trading system, the current state of play in the Doha negotiations, the challenges for Asia in this respect and the role and involvement of the system's stakeholders in the negotiating processes.

  19-22 May, 2007

A two-and-a-half day international conference on “Southern Perspectives on Reforming the International Development Architecture” was held at the Wilton Park, West Sussex, U.K., during 19-22 May, 2007. The Sri Lankan case study was prepared by the IPS and was presented by the Executive Director and Deshal De Mel, Research Officer.

The conference was organized by the North-South Institute in Ottawa, Canada and the Wilton Park, U.K.
(http://www.nsi-ins.ca/english/research/progress/41.asp)

The revised paper on the Sri Lanka case study will be available on-line shortly.

  10-11 May, 2007

The study on "Potential for Trade in Services under SAFTA” is to be conducted by the SAARC Network of Researchers on Global Financial and Economic Issues with RIS as the Coordinator.

 19 April, 2007

Launch of Economic and Social Survey of Asia and Pacific Report 2007 (ESCAP), Colombo

The ESCAP Report on Economic and Social Survey of Asia and Pacific 2007 (www.unescap.org/survey2007/) was launched at the UNDP Office in Colombo in the presence of Abu Selim, Country Director of the UNDP and local invitees. Dr. Muhammed Malik, Economic Affairs Officer, ESCAP presented the report followed by a presentation on the Sri Lankan Economy by the Executive Director.

Related news item on Daily News,  20 April, 2007 - http://www.dailynews.lk/2007/04/20/fin03.asp

The IPS and the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (FES) Colombo, jointly organized an international conference on “Trade in Services in South Asia: Opportunities and Risks in Liberalization” at the Cinnamon Grand, Colombo, during 4-5 April, 2007. The conference was inaugurated by Hon. Prof. G.L. Peiris, Minister of Export Development and International Trade.

Ms. Astrid Becker, Resident Director, FES, Colombo made the welcome address, while Dr. Saman Kelegama, Executive Director, IPS made the introduction to the conference. The key note address was made by the Chief Guest.

The conference analysed service sector liberalization undertaken up to date in the region as well as highlighted the opportunities and risks present from further liberalization. The potential areas of cooperation in the services sector in the SAFTA framework was also one of the areas discussed during the conference.

The conference brought together specialists working on the services sector from across South Asia as well as other stakeholders in government, academia, private sector and civil society organizations from the region and provided an open forum for discussion and debate.

Introductory Remarks by the Executive Director (PDF Format 22kb)

Concept Note (PDF Format 21kb)

Programme (PDF Format 245kb)

Conference in Pictures

 Research Project on “Agricultural Trade Liberalization in Asia and the Pacific”

The IPS completed a research project on “Agricultural Trade Liberalization in Asia and the Pacific” in collaboration with Asia-Pacific Research and Training Network (ARTNeT). The first output was released as an ARTNeT Policy Brief (No.10, 2006) titled, "Regional Agricultural Trade Liberalization in South-Asia: Retrospect and Prospect." It discusses various regional agricultural trade agreements and looks into the possibilities for improvements in the future. The Brief is available on http://www.unescap.org/tid/artnet/pub/polbrief10.pdf

 12 March, 2007

Laying of the Foundation Stone to the Proposed IPS Building Complex, Colombo

Minister of Urban Development and Sacred Area Development, Hon. Dinesh Gunawardena, laid the foundation stone for the proposed IPS building complex in the scientific and cultural zone in Colombo on 12 March, 2007.

The Ambassador of the Netherlands, Reynout Van Dijk, the Chairman of IPS, Prof. Buddhadasa Hewavitharana and the Executive Director of IPS, Dr. Saman Kelegama, joined the Minister at this event.

The Minister also unveiled a plaque to commemorate the event.

Prof. Buddhadasa Hewavitharana made the welcome address in which he thanked the governments of Sri Lanka and the Netherlands for the support extended to the IPS to realize its ambition of establishing a permanent building of its own. The Minister and the Ambassador also addressed the gathering.

The official event was followed by refreshments for a small gathering of IPS staff and well wishers.

Event in Pictures >>

 14 February, 2007

Presentation on “Role of Bio Energy for Economic Development: Potential of Dendro Power”, IPS

 9-11 February, 2007

Conference on “SAARC 2015: Expanding Horizons and Forging Cooperation in a Resurgent Asia”,
New Delhi, India

Under the theme, the conference explored a range of issues related to South Asia’s economic, political and security relations with an increasingly outward looking and resurgent Asia. The idea behind the theme of the conference was that Asia’s economic dynamism will increasingly have a major impact on the South Asian region as a whole. Therefore, developments in the neighbouring regions of South Asia pose enormous challenges to the SAARC.

A galaxy of South Asian, European, East Asian, Central Asian and Gulf scholars participated in the conference. India’s Minister of State for Trade and Commerce, Jairam Ramesh and Joint Secretary, SAARC, Preeti Saran were among the participants. The final recommendations of the conference will be submitted to the forthcoming SAARC Summit in New Delhi during 3-4 April.

Executive Director was a panelist to the session on “South Asia and South East Asia” and the presenter at the penultimate session on “Vision and Strategy for the Third Decade of SAARC”. He is seen here at the presentation with Prof. Mahendra Lama, JNU, Preeti Saran, K.K. Bhargava, former Secretary General SAARC, and Farooq Sobhan, former Foreign Secretary, Bangladesh.

Statement of Conference (PDF Format 62kb)

 9 February, 2007

Workshop on a Participatory Concept Paper for the Design of an Effective Industrial Policy Framework for Sri Lanka
On Golden Pond, Hotel Taj Samudra, Colombo

An interactive workshop jointly organized by the IPS with the Industrial Association of Sri Lanka (IASL) to discuss a participatory concept paper for the design of an effective Industrial Policy Framework for Sri Lanka was concluded at the Hotel Taj Samudra in Colombo on 9 February, 2007.

The objective of this workshop was to elicit the views of key stakeholders on industrial policy based on a document prepared by the IPS for the IASL, titled, “A Participatory Concept Paper for the Design of an Effective Industrial Policy Framework for Sri Lanka”.

The concept paper is an effort to identify practical policy and implementation gaps in the industrialization process through a comprehensive consultation process and to present policy makers with key action areas that have the broad consensus of the different interest groups representing the industrial sector in Sri Lanka. Consistent policy, transparent decision making and a consultative approach for government decisions were key elements that came out from the focus group discussions at the workshop.

Technocrats and government officials, private sector industrialists and experts from the academic institutions were among the participants. The extensive debate and discussion that emerged during the sessions provided valuable inputs for the final policy brief being drafted by the IPS to be included in the Government’s Industrialization Strategy.

25 January, 2007

Third Follow-Up Meeting of the Independent South Asian Commission for Poverty Alleviation (ISACPA),
SAARC Secretariat, Kathmandu, Nepal

The Meeting was chaired by the Executive Director, Dr. Saman Kelegama, who is the Co-Convenor of the ISACPA. The final report on the SDGs will be submitted to the 14 th SAARC Summit scheduled in New Delhi during 3-4 April, 2007.

The 22 SDGs that needed elaboration could be found in : http://www.saarc-sec.org/data/agenda/poverty/SDGs.doc

23-24 January

The SAARC Secretariat organized a “Regional Brain-Storm (Workshop) on SAARC Development Goals (SDGs) Monitoring and Evaluation” in Kathmandu, Nepal during 23-24 January, 2007. The workshop was attended by 40 participants including the Commissioners of the Independent South Asian Commission on Poverty Alleviation (ISACPA), SAARC country experts on MDG monitoring, experts from international organizations such as ESCAP, UNESCO, ADB, IUCN, UNFPA, etc.

The Workshop took place at Yak and Yeti Hotel in Kathmandu. The elaboration of SDGs as requested by the SAARC Heads of States (at the 13th SAARC Summit in Dhaka) was done by each SAARC member country and these were discussed in detail during the workshop with the intervention from the international experts. Based on the overall discussion a draft version of the overall elaboration of SDGs was prepared for the consideration of the ISACPA at its third meeting scheduled on 25 January at the SAARC Secretariat.

Executive Director, Dr. Saman Kelegama, who is the Co-Convenor of the ISACPA chaired the first session of the meeting where all seven SAARC country papers of SDG elaboration were discussed.