Janaka Wijayasiri is currently a Research Fellow and Head of International Economic Policy research at the IPS. Since joining the IPS in 1999, his areas of research interest have been primarily related to trade issues at the bilateral, regional and multilateral levels. These include issues of policy significance to Sri Lanka in areas covering bilateral and regional preferential trade initiatives, multilateral negotiations under the World Trade Organization (WTO) and issues related to the textile and garment industry in Sri Lanka. He has received training in GTAP (Global Trade Analysis Project) from the Center for Global Trade Analysis, Purdue University, Canada.
In addition to his interest in areas of trade, he shares an avid interest in the aviation sector and closely follows developments in the field at both domestic and international levels. Janaka Wijayasiri has a number of publications to his name which have appeared as articles and chapters in both journal and book publications. He has been part of Sri Lanka’s official delegation representing the academia at regional forums such as Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) and the Indian Ocean Rim Association for Regional Cooperation (IOR-ARC).
Janaka Wijayasiri holds a BA in Economics with Development Studies from the University of Sussex, UK and an MA in Economics of Development from the Institute of Social Studies, the Netherlands, and PhD from Monash University, Australia.
Group of Experts of the BIMSTEC
Member of the Committee
Government of Sri Lanka
January 2002
Committee for Globalization, Trade Development and International Economic Policy
Member of the Committee
Government of Sri Lanka
April 2002
Sri Lanka Entrepreneur of the Year
Panel of Judges
Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Sri Lanka
1999
NCE Export Awards Ceremony
Panel of Judges
National Chamber of Exporters of Sri Lanka
1999
Wijayasiri,J. (2009) ‘Opportunitiesand Risksof Liberalizing Tradein Services: Maldives’ Country Study‘,in S.Kelegama(ed.)Trade in Services in SouthAsia: Opportunities andRisksin Liberalization,SagePublications,NewDelhi.
Wijayasiri, Janaka and Suwendrani Jayarathne (2009) Impact of Information Technology (IT) in Trade Facilitation on Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in Sri Lanka, Research Studies: Working Paper Series No.13 July 2009,
Wijayasiri, Janaka and Jagath Dissanayake (2008), Trade, Innovation and Growth: The Case of Sri Lanka’s Textile and Clothing Industry, IPS Working Paper Series No. 12.
Wijayasiri, J. and D. de Mel (2008), BIMSTEC-Japan Cooperation in Trade and Investment: A Sri Lankan Perspective, CSIRD Discussion Paper #38, May,
De Mel,D.and J.Wijayasiri (2008) ‘DomesticPreparednessofSri Lankawith respect to Services Trade Liberalisation:CaseStudyof theTelecom Sector’, in S.Raihan (ed.), DomesticPreparednessfor ServicesTradeLiberalization:AreSouthAsian Countries Preparedforfurther Liberalization?,South AsianPositionsintheWTO Doha Round: In Search ofATrueDevelopment Agenda, Vol.3,CUTS, India
Wijayasiri, J. and S. Samad (2007) ‘Preference Erosion and Aid for Trade: A South Asian Perspective’ in South Asian Positions in the WTO Doha Round: In Search of A True Development Agenda, Vol.2, CUTS, India,
“Maldives in the WTO” in S. Kelegama (ed.), South Asia in the WTO, Sage Publications, New Delhi ,2007
“Utilization of Preferential Trade Arrangements: Sri Lanka’s Experience with the EU and US GSP Schemes”, International Economic Series No.8,
IPS, Colombo, 2007.
“Liberalization of International Air Transport in Sri Lanka: Policy Options (with P. Malalasekara and P. Dunusinghe), International Economic Series No.7, IPS, Colombo, 2004.
“Indo-Sri Lanka Bilateral Free Trade Agreement and the Garment Industry” (with S. Kelegama,) in S. Kelegama (ed.), Ready-Made Garment Industry in Sri Lanka:Facing the Global Challenge, IPS, Colombo, 2004.
“Overview of the Garment Industry in Sri Lanka” (with S. Kelegama) in S. Kelegama (ed.), Ready-Made Garment Industry in Sri Lanka:
Facing the Global Challenge, IPS, Colombo, 2004.
Kelegama, S. and J. Wijayasiri (2003) ’50 years of Economic Cooperation’, Sri Lanka –Germany: Fifty Years of Friendship and Cooperation, Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany in collaboration with the German Technical Cooperation (GTZ), Colombo.
“Cooperation in Tourism among the BIMST-EC Countries: Prospects and Constraints”, Bangladesh Institute of International Studies Journal,
Vol.24, No. 4, 2003.
Wijayasiri, J. (2002) ‘Book Review: South Asia Development and Cooperation Report 2001/02’, South Asia Economic Journal, Vol.3, No. 2, July- December 2002, pp.287-291.
“Regionalism in South Asia: The Relevance of SAPTA for Sri Lanka” (with D. Weerakoon), South Asia Economic Journal, Vol. 3, No. 1, 2002.
Weerakoon, D. and J. Wijayasiri (2001) Regional Economic Cooperation in South Asia: A Sri Lankan Perspective, International Economic Series No. 6, November 2001, IPS, Colombo.
“South Asia’s Competitive Advantage in Knowledge-based Economy” (with T. Jayawardena) in S. Kelegama (eds.), Impediments to Economic
Cooperation in South Asia, Friedrich Ebert Stiftung, Colombo, 2001.
Gunatileka, N. and J. Wijayasiri (2000) Annotated Bibliography of Macroeconomic and Adjustment Policies in Sri Lanka, MIMAP-Sri Lanka Series, May 2000, IPS: Colombo
Wijayasiri, J. (2000) ‘Book Review: Trade policy issues in Asian Development’, Sri Lanka Economic Journal – New Series, 1(2) December 2000, pp 136-139.
“WTO and the Textile and Garment Sector: Implications for Sri Lanka” (with D. Weerakoon), South Asian Economic Journal, Volume 1, No.2, 2000.
China-Sri Lanka FTA: Opportunities and Challenges
“One Belt, One Road” (OBOR) and Bangladesh, China, India, Myanmar (BCIM) Regional Interconnection Conference
Organized by the Institute of World Economics and Politics/Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS)
Beijing, China
August 25, 2015
Accessing New Employment Markets Abroad
International Conference on “Policies for Mainstreaming Migration into Development in Sri Lanka”,
IPS
14 August
Preference Erosion and Aid for Trade: A South Asian Perspective
“WTO Doha Round and South Asia: Linking Civil Society with Trade Negotiations (SAFIT-II)”
New Delhi, India
21-22 December, 2006
Utilization of Preferential Trade Arrangements: Sri Lanka’s Experience with EU and US GSP Schemes
“Third ARTNeT Consultative Meeting of Policy Makers and Research Institutions”
Macao, China
1-2 November, 2006
Textiles and Clothing: Possible Scenario After 2004
“Annual Conference of South Asian Civil Society Network on International Trade Issues on South Asian Agenda for the Cancun Ministerial”
Katmandu, Nepal
24-25 July, 2003
SACEPS Taskforce Report on the Challenges and Constraints to Regionalism in South Asia
National Task Force Seminar of the South Asia Centre for Policy Studies
Colombo, Sri Lanka
28 February, 2003
Tourism Cooperation among the BIMSTEC Countries: Prospects and Challenges
“Sub-Regional Cooperation among BIMSTEC Countries and the Role of Japan”
Dhaka, Bangladesh
11-12 March, 2002
“Preference Erosion and Aid for Trade: A South Asian Perspective” (with S. Samad) Prepared for Consumer Unity and Trust Society (CUTS),
India, funded by Oxfam Novib, The Netherlands, 2006.
“Implications to Member States of Progression from SAPTA to SAFTA” (with D. Weerakoon) prepared for and funded by SAARC Secretariat,
Kathmandu, Nepal, 2003.
“Prospects for a Sectoral Dialogue Partnership between Sri Lanka and ASEAN” (with D. Weerakoon) prepared for and funded by
Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Sri Lanka, 1999.