August 2015 NEWS SRI LANKA Embassy of Sri Lanka, Washington DC Achieving the USD 50Bn ATUL KESHAP Rights of entrepreneurs CONFIRMED AS to engage in their export revenue mark will businesses freely will be possible with a highly U.S. AMBASSADOR be ensured competitive social market economy based on TO SRI LANKA sustainable development President Maithripala Sirisena Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe President Barack Obama’s ambassa- dorial nominee to SRI LANKA ECONOMIC Sri Lanka and the Maldives, Atul Kes- SUMMIT 2015 hap was confirmed by the Senate on August 5, 2015. Ambassador - designate Keshap is a career United States Foreign Ser- vice Officer. He has an in-depth knowledge of Sri Lanka and the South Asian region having served as Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for South Asia from 2013 to date and as Director of the Office of India, Bangladesh Sri Lanka, The Sri Lanka Economic Summit 2015, the achieving the USD 50 million goal. Nepal, Maldives and Bhutan in annual flagship event of the Ceylon Cham- Addressing the closing ceremony of the summit, the State Department’s Bureau of ber of Commerce since 2000 was held on President Maithripala Sirisena said that the gov- South and Central Asian Affairs August 4th and 5th in Colombo for the six- ernment which was elected on January 8th will from 2010 to 2012. teenth consecutive year under the theme guarantee the rights of entrepreneurs to engage in “Towards Exports of USD 50 billion”. their business activities in a free and independent His extensive diplomatic career Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe who manner without political interference and within includes tours of duty at the US delivered the keynote address, stated, he be- the legal and regulatory framework of the country. Embassies in New Delhi, Rabat and Conakry. lieved, achieving the USD 50 billion export The President acknowledged the need to ex- revenue mark will be possible with a “highly pand the export sector and to attract more in- A warm Sri Lankan welcome to competitive social market economy based vestment in the country. He emphasized that Ambassador - designate Keshap! on sustainable development.” the rule of law and transparency in state affairs He added that under the five-point plan contained have a direct effect on the business sector, and READ THE FULL BIO: www.srilanka.usembassy.gov in the UNP election manifesto ‘A new country in observed that the country’s foreign policy 60 months’ – developing the economy, fighting also plays an important role in strengthening corruption, ensuring freedom for all, developing its international trade relationships. STAY the infrastructure and improving the education The summit covered the most important and CONNECTED system - significant attention has been paid to in- topical economic matters of the day, and at- creasing trade targeting more export revenue. Sri tracted over 450 top rung government policy- https://facebook.com/slembassyusa Lanka needs to expand its markets, with focus on makers, top economists, sector-based profes- India, China, the U.S. and the Europe. He elabo- sionals from both public and private sectors https://twitter.com/EmbassyofSL rated on how all five points are pivotal toward as well as, political leaders and academics. READ THE PRESIDENT’S FULL SPEECH AT: http://www.priu.gov.lk TO LISTEN: https://drive.google.com LISTEN TO THE PRIME MINISTER’S SPEECH AT: https://drive.google.com NEWS - SRI LANKA: The Embassy of Sri Lanka SRI LANKA EXPLORES PARTNERSHIP WITH THE U.S. MILLENNIUM CHALLENGE CORPORATION States under the Millennium Challenge selects eligible countries based on their Corporation. performance in the areas of good gov- Created by the U.S. Congress in Janu- ernance, economic freedom and invest- ary 2004, with strong bipartisan sup- ment in their citizens. port, MCC is an innovative foreign aid Ambassador Kariyawasam briefed Ms. agency that operates on the principle of Hyde on the reform process in Sri Lan- delivering U.S. grant assistance to select ka and the significant progress that has countries on the basis of a long-term been achieved by the government since consultative partnership, with the objec- its election to office in January. Sri Lanka tive of reducing global poverty through now seeks to expand cooperation with sustainable economic growth. the international community includ- MCC grants to partner countries can ing through new partnerships with do- reach the tune of US$ 500 million over a nor agencies, such as MCC to provide five-year partnership. To date, MCC has a tangible peace dividend to its people. approved over $10 billion in assistance Acknowledging the progressive devel- worldwide that support country-deter- opments taking place in Sri Lanka, Ms. In a meeting with the Chief Executive Of- mined projects in such sectors as agri- Hyde said that MCC was encouraged by ficer of the U.S. Millennium Challenge culture and irrigation, infrastructure, the reform process and would continue Corporation (MCC) Dana J. Hyde, Sri water supply and sanitation, access to to closely follow developments in the Lanka’s Ambassador Prasad Kariyawasam health, finance and enterprise develop- coming months. She invited the Ambas- emphasized the desire of the Government ment, anti-corruption initiatives, land sador to continue interaction with MCC. to establish a partnership with the United rights and access to education. MCC FULL STORY: http://slembassyusa.org AMBASSADOR KARIYAWASAM BRIEFS MEMBERS OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Continuing to update members of the U.S. Congress on recent developments in Sri Lanka, Ambassador Prasad Kariyawasam met with the following members of the House of Representatives during the month of July, just before summer recess: Rep. Eliot Engel (D-NY) Rep. Matt Salmon (R-AZ) Rep. Ed Royce (R-CA) Ranking Member, Chair, Subcommittee on Rep. David E Price (D-NC) Chair, House Foreign Affairs Committee House Foreign Affairs Committee Asia and the Pacific Congressional Caucus on Sri Lanka Rep. Jim McDermott (D-WA) Rep. Charles W Boustany (R-LA) Rep. John K. Delaney (D-MD) Rep. Jim Renacci (R-OH) Congressional Caucus on Sri Lanka Subcommittee on Trade Financial Services Committee Co-Chair Bipartisan Working Group NEWS - SRI LANKA: The Embassy of Sri Lanka GOOGLE LOON PROJECT TO COVER SRI LANKA WITH 3G INTERNET It is expected to place 13 balloons above Sri Lanka over the next few months (One balloon is expected to last over 100 days) and internet ser- vice providers will have to connect this network through these ‘floating towers’ which will ultimately reduce their transmission costs. “Matara covered or Jaffna covered is now history. In a few months we will be able to say Sri Lanka covered,” ad- Sri Lanka’s government and Google It is a network of balloons traveling dressing the signing ceremony For- signed an agreement on July 28th to on the edge of space, designed to eign, Telecommunications and IT cover the island with 3G internet un- connect people in rural and remote Minister Mangala Samaraweera said. der ‘Google Loon project’. areas, help fill in coverage gaps and bring people back online after disas- “As a result of this agreement, the en- Sri Lanka is the first country in the ters. tire Sri Lankan island – every village world to have internet access cover- from Devundara to Point Pedro – ing the whole country with govern- “With our system we use LTE which will be covered with affordable high ment support, Google Vice President is a common protocol most of the tel- speed internet using Google Loon’s and Project Leader on GoogleX Pro- cos use around the world. So anyone balloon technology.” Samaraweera ject Loon, Mike Cassidy said. with a smart phone would be able to said. The project is handled by ICTA get internet access. One of the key with the collaboration of former Fa- Project Loon is the latest moonshot things we do is we partner with the cebook executive Chamath Palihap- from Google[x]: balloon-powered local telcos. In New Zealand we part- itiya who now represents lotus flare, Internet access. nered with Vodafone.” Cassidy said. a leading mobile content provider. FULL STORY: http://lankabusinessonline.com Window to Sri Lanka – Sri Lankan Pop-up restaurant delighted food- loving Washingtonians on Friday July 31 and Saturday, August 01. The SRI LANKAN authentic Sri Lankan cuisine was on FOOD AT POP-UP display at PREQUEL in Washington DC, a restaurant facility promoted FINE DINING IN and operated by Equity Eats founded WASHINGTON DC by Johann Moonesinghe, a young Sri Lankan American entrepreneur. PREQUEL is housed in a building Up, Ambassador Prasad Kariyawasam “Window to Sri Lanka” not only offered an originally built in 1890 and provides complimented Founder/CEO of Eq- array of quality Sri Lankan food but also 18,000 square feet of restaurant space uity Eats and his team members on the gave a glimpse of Sri Lanka to the diners. to test short-term pop-ups and longer success of their venture and congratu- Baily’s finest Ceylon Tea was a perfect gift residencies for vendors who have plans lated Johann and his family for the to remember the day for all guests who pa- of raising funds to set up their own excellent presentation of Sri Lankan tronized this occasion. restaurant in the city. Attending the food and the overwhelming American MORE DETAILS ON ACTIVITIES OF inaugural day of the Sri Lankan Pop- patronage. PREQUEL CAN BE FOUND AT: http://equityeats.com 03 NEWS - SRI LANKA: The Embassy of Sri Lanka SRI LANKA AND THE EMERGING ORDER IN SOUTH ASIA BY ATLANTIC COUNCIL of development, including ensuring In this regard, Sri Lanka’s relationship After decades of damaging civil war, physical security, rebuilding and with the United States, “the most pow- Sri Lanka and its new government are restituting property, restoring liveli- erful maritime nation in the world,” is setting a course to prevent the reoccur- hoods, and maintaining rule of law.