Governance

As Sri Lanka navigates these complex international relationships, concerns persist about the nation's sovereignty and its ability to maintain a balanced foreign policy amidst mounting external pressures.

Funding for mine action has halved over the past two years, leading to a significant reduction in the workforce. Today, only 3,000 of the 15,000 Afghan de-miners employed before the Taliban takeover are still working, with more than 40 percent losing their jobs.

Pakistan can see the writing on the wall and knows that it must refrain from using the heyday of the alliance during the early years of the Cold War as the baseline because that world no longer exists. More importantly, Pakistan is no longer the same.

The survey found that roughly the same number of respondents expressed optimism about the next four years as those who felt pessimistic.

If current trends continue, Oxfam predicts that five trillionaires will emerge within the next decade. In stark contrast, the number of people living in poverty has remained nearly unchanged since 1990.

In urban areas, the winter months reveal unique indoor air quality challenges. The fine particles from outdoor pollution sources infiltrate homes, offices, and public buildings, significantly degrading air quality.

With vegetable inflation exceeding 40 per cent, consumers face the brunt of soaring costs, while weak market monitoring and governance exacerbate the issue.

Sri Lanka’s central bank embraced deflationary measures that allowed currency appreciation and restored external stability. Critics argue, however, that these gains may be short-lived without structural reforms and tighter inflation targets.