Executive Director made a presentation on: ‘Socio-Economic Challenges of Post-conflict Reconstruction in Sri Lanka’ at a seminar on ‘Post-conflict Sri Lanka: Rebuilding of the Society’ jointly organized by the Centre for Security Analysis, Chennai, and the Regional Centre for Strategic Studies, Colombo, at Queens Court, Cinnamon Lakeside, Colombo, on 28 September, 2011. Chairman IPS, Prof. W.D. Lakshman chaired the session and the other speaker of the session was Mr. S.B. Divaratne, Secretary, Presidential Task Force, Ministry of Resettlement.

PDF Presentation

Executive Director made a presentation on “Chinese Engagement with SAARC: Priorities and Possibilities in Trade and Investment” at the International Conference on “China-SAARC: Towards a Better Understanding through Enhanced People-to-People Exchanges” organized by the China Institute of International Studies and Yunnan Academy of Social Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan Province, China, 26-27 July 2011.

Executive Director was Speaker/Panelist at the Seminar and Panel Discussion on ‘Middle East Crisis and its Effect on Sri Lanka’ organized by the Alumni Association of the University of Peradeniya Colombo Chapter at the Meteorology Department Auditorium on 7th April 2011.

http://www.island.lk/index.php?page_cat=article-details&page=article-details&code_title=23393

Executive Director chaired the session on ‘ODA and Productive Development Capacity’ at the ‘International Dialogue on Exploring a New Partnership for the LDCs in the Context of the UN LDC IV’, Dhaka Sheraton Hotel, Bangladesh, 24-26 November 2010.

For more details visit: www.cpd.org.bd

Executive Director was a Resource Person to two sessions at the International Conference on 'SAARC @ 25' organized by the India International Centre (IIC) and the Research and Information System for Developing Countries (RIS) with the support of the Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India, and the SAARC Secretariat. The conference took place at the IIC, Delhi, during 16-17 September 2010.

Executive Director was a Resource Person to the sessions on: 'Perspectives on SAARC after 25 Years' and 'Implementation of Steps for the Consolidation and Growth of SAARC'. He chaired a session on 'Trade in Goods: Progress and Implementation'.

Executive Director also reviewed the latest book by Rehman Sobhan on 'Challenging the Injustice of Poverty: Agenda for Inclusive Development in South Asia' published by Sage, Delhi, at a large gathering at the IIC.

For details, see: http://www.ris.org.in/

Executive Director was a part of the Sri Lankan delegation for the Tenth IOR-ARC Ministerial meeting at Sana’a, Yemen, during 31 July- 5 August, 2010.

Executive Director Chaired the Sri Lankan delegation at the 16th Meeting of the Indian Ocean Rim Academic Group. Executive Director was nominated to the Editorial Board of the Journal of the Indian Ocean Region (Journal of the Indian Ocean Research Group Inc.) published by Routledge.

Executive Director was invited as a Resource Person for the WTO Regional Trade Policy Course at the National University of Singapore during 5-6 July 2010.

Executive Director spoke on the Development Dimension of the Doha Development Agenda (DDA) and Special & Differential Treatment in the DDA. Shishir Priyadarshi, Director, Development Division, WTO and Margret Liang, former WTO Chief negotiator of Singapore were the other Resource Persons during the sessions.

Executive Director met the IMF Chief, Dominique Strauss-Khan, when he visited the IMF for the 2010 Spring Meeting during 21-26 April, 2010.

The meeting took place with 15 other members from developing countries who were invited for the Spring Meeting. The IMF, External Relations Department Director, Catherine Aiktison and some of her team members also participated in this meeting.

Executive Director and Athula Senaratne participated in the South Asian Civil Society Consultations on Trade, Climate Change and Food Security Agenda for Copenhagen, organized by SAWTEE, CANSA, and Oxfam Novib, Kathmandu, Nepal, 9-11 September 2009. ED chaired a session and was a discussant to the concluding session on regional cooperation on the issues under discussion. The Consultation resulted in the South Asian Civil Society Declaration on Trade, Climate Change and Food Security.

South Asian Declaration

Executive Director made a presentation on ‘Economic Development and Reconstruction of the North-East: Problems and Prospects’ at a two day seminar on “From Winning the War to Winning Peace: Post War Rebuilding of the Society of Sri Lanka” jointly organized by the Regional Centre for Strategic Studies and Centre for Security Analysis- Chennai during 28-29 August 2009. The seminar took place at the Taj Samudra Hotel, Colombo.

The Session on ‘Economic Reconstruction’ where ED made the presentation was chaired by Prof. W. D. Lakshman, Adviser to the Ministry of Finance and Planning and included Dr. Partha Mukhopadhyay, Senior Fellow, Centre for Policy Research, New Delhi, and Dr. Muttukrishna Savananthan, Head of the Point Pedro Institute of Development.

Executive Director addressed the UNI APRO South Asia Finance Sector Union Council meeting on 15 August at Hotel Galadari, Colombo. The address was on 'Stabilizing the Financial Systems in South Asia' under the theme 'Risk Conscious, Customer Oriented, Sustainable Financial System in South Asia'. SAFSUC meeting was held following a sub-regional training course on International Labor Standards and Framework Agreements implemented jointly by UNI APRO and FES in Colombo

http://www.uniglobalunion.org/Apps/iportal.nsf/pages/reg_20081016_gc9rEn

The 2009 Regional Trade Policy Course for Asia-Pacific Region organized by the WTO in partnership with the National University of Singapore (NUS) took place during mid-May to early August at the Faculty of Law at the NUS.

For ‘Special and Differential Treatment’ and the ‘Development Dimension’ in the Doha Development Agenda, the training was conducted by the Executive Director of the IPS. Executive Director as a Regional Trainer was joined by the WTO Trainer on the subject, Shishir Priyadarshi and the sessions took place during 22-23 July. 26 participants from the region obtained their training during various sessions that took place over the 3 month period. The picture shows Executive Director with the WTO Trainer, NUS Faculty members, and the participants

Executive Director delivered the key note address on “Role of Non-State Actors in Enhancing Regional Economic Cooperation in South Asia” and made a presentation on “Enhancing Global Trade through Bilateral, Regional, and Multilateral Trade Agreements” at the “3rd South Asia Media Training on Trade and Development Issues” organized by SAWTEE, Godavari Village Resort, Kathmandu, Nepal, 24-26 April, 2009.

The Island, 27 April, 2009— “Though dysfunctional SAARC gives hope during hard times”

Executive Director spoke on “Vision for New South Asia” at the International Conference on “Development, Freedom and Welfare” in Honour of Professor Amartya Sen.

The Conference was organized by the Cornell University (USA) and the Institute of Human Development (India) at the India Habitat Centre during 19-20 December, 2008 to celebrate the 75th birthday of Professor Sen (www.amartyasenconference.net)

Indian Minister of External Affairs, Hon. Pranab Mukherjee, chaired the session. The other panelists were Rehman Sobhan (Bangladesh), Asma Jehangir (Pakistan), Kanak Mani Dixit (Nepal), and Muchkund Dubey (India).

Executive Director made a presentation on “SAARC Energy Cooperation: Energy Security and Environment Challenges” in the 7th seminar under the SAARC Seminar Series held at the Institute of South Asian Studies (ISAS), Singapore, on 28 November, 2008.

The seminar was chaired by S.D. Muni, Visiting Senior Research Fellow, ISAS. For details visit: www.isas.nus.edu.sg

Executive Director made a presentation on “Strengthening Regional Cooperation in South Asia: Issues and Policy Imperatives” in the 8th Session of the UNDP Regional Conference on “Promoting Human Development in Trade Regionalism: Scope for South-South Cooperation in the Asia Pacific” which took place at the Sanur Paradise Plaza Hotel, Bali, Indonesia, 24-26 November 2008.

The Session was Chaired by Luca Monge-Roffarello, UNDP, Geneva with Ratna Sudharshan, IIFT, Delhi, and Dan Gay, ODI, as other speakers.

Executive Director made a presentation on “Regional Economic Cooperation in South Asia: Challenges and Prospects” at the Second South Asia Conference organized by the Institute of Defence Studies and Analyses (IDSA) and ICRIER on the theme: “Changing Political Context in India's Neighbourhood: Prospects of Regional Security and Cooperation”. The conference took place at IDSA, New Delhi during 5-6 November, 2008.

Rajiv Kumar, Executive Director, ICRIER; Sadiq Ahmed, South Asia Division, The World Bank; Ganesh Wignaraja, ADB; and I.N. Mukerjhi, RIS, participated in the session with the Executive Director.

Executive Director Chaired the Session on “SAARC Initiatives for Food Security” at the South Asia Civil Society Forum on “Responding to Food Insecurity in South Asia” organized by SAWTEE, CUTS, and OXFAM, Park Village Hotel, Kathmandu, Nepal, 23-24 October, 2008.

The Forum was organized to prepare a “Statement on Food Security” before the SAARC Ministerial Conference on Food Security in early November 2008 in New Delhi. Dr. Sudarshan Matheme, Agriculture Specialist, Nepal, and Dr. Pratap Sheshtra, Executive Director, Local Initiatives for Biodiversity, Research and Development (LI-BIRD), Nepal were the resource persons in the Session.

The World Bank Group of the South Asian region stresses the need for evidence based economic policy debate in Sri Lanka.

Read: http://endpovertyinsouthasia.worldbank.org/media-and-public-debate-sri-lankan-economy

Executive Director participated in the conference on “Making Smart Policy: Using Impact Evaluation for Policy Making” held at the Preston Auditorium, the World Bank, Washington, D.C. during 15-16 January.

Sri Lanka was represented by the Executive Director and V. Sivagnanasothy from the Department of Foreign Aid and Budget Monitoring, Ministry of Plan Implementation

The conference was organized by the Poverty Reduction and Economic Management (PREM), Independent Evaluation Group (IEG) and Development Economics (DEC) networks of the World Bank with co-sponsorship by DFID and the Government of Netherlands.

Executive Director gave a lecture on “Role of the Private Sector/Chambers in Stimulating Regional Economic Growth” at the National Conference on “Policy Constraints, Regulatory Barriers, and Regional Economic Development” organized by the Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Sri Lanka at the Hotel Galadari, Colombo on 26 June, 2007. The Minister of Enterprise Development and Investment Promotion, Hon. Sarath Amunugama was the Chief Guest at the Conference.

Daily Mirror, 27 June, 2007 , “Linking private, public vital for development –Kelegama”
http://www.dailymirror.lk/2007/06/27/ft/15.asp

Executive Director participated in the 6th Board Meeting of the South Asia Centre for Policy Studies (SACEPS) at the SACEPS Head Office in Kathmandu, Nepal on 22 September, and made a presentation on "Deepening Economic Integration in South Asia" at a SACEPS seminar on 23 September at Yak and Yeti Hotel, Kathmandu.

Dr. Kelegama handed over a copy of the book to the Chief Guest at the launch, Hon. Sarath Amunugama, Minister of Public Administration and Home Affairs.

The book covers an important period (2005-2006) where a number of domestic and global events influenced the Sri Lankan economy at regular intervals. The 40 essays in this volume cover these contemporary issues and many more. (PDF Format 277kb)