Anush Wijesinha
@anushwij
curious economist, Co-Founder, Centre for a Smart Future (CSF). Opinions my own
Here’s to a fantastic return to academia and adding new evidence and insights on global macro, @GitaGopinath! It was wonderful meeting you during your visit to Colombo and exchange frank views on #SriLanka’s economic trajectory
Guest Column @FT_SriLanka - ‘Takeaways for #SriLanka from UNCTAD’s Investment Reality Check’ ft.lk/opinion/Takeaw… Traditional model of competing for FDI through regulatory arbitrage and cost advantages is becoming more and more obsolete. SL must attract transformative capital.
Our first article in a 3-part series for @FT_SriLanka unpacking 8 priority trade and competitiveness reforms for #SriLanka. Today we focus on the first two priority areas covered in the recent @CSFasia Policy Note - 1) tariff lib/n and 2) trade adjustment ft.lk/opinion/Priori…
Read our latest op-ed on why trade policy uncertainty is hurting businesses - sundayobserver.lk/2025/07/20/bus…, and take part in our survey to understand the evolving scenario for Sri Lankan exporters forms.gle/PQjtkacHhEXz4a…
World Bank 2025 report on FDI: ‘Take measures that attract good quality FDI that drives trade-led growth’ Sri Lanka: We will have a clock tower art piece at Port City and give it tax exemptions sundaytimes.lk/250720/news/la…
More useful comparator for #SriLanka isn’t ‘liberation day’ tariffs 44% vs ‘new 09 July’ 30% (“we got a big ⬇️”); rather, SL 30% vs competitors (esp in apparels) like Vietnam 20%. This will determine X comp. Meanwhile, VN confident of resilience - 16 FTAs! reuters.com/world/asia-pac…
A useful summary of Trump tariffs as of 09/07, incl #SriLanka’s. Clearly gives updated country-specific rate + clarifies if it replaces or stacks the baseline 10% rate. Also lists exemptions & product-specific rates (most of which are not v relevant to SL) tradecomplianceresourcehub.com/2025/07/09/tru…
A useful summary of Trump tariffs as of 09/07, incl #SriLanka’s. Clearly gives updated country-specific rate + clarifies if it replaces or stacks the baseline 10% rate. Also lists exemptions & product-specific rates (most of which are not v relevant to SL) tradecomplianceresourcehub.com/2025/07/09/tru…
The biggest copy & paste, find & replace job in the history of the world? (Images 1-3: Trump tariff letters to #SriLanka, #Indonesia, #SouthAfrica)
Regardless of the massive irony of this statement (and indeed he seems to admit their complicity in propagating the “Govt jobs” narrative in the past), it’s powerful & telling that a Minister of this govt would say this. Hope they can actually change mindsets and buck the trend.
“The government is not a job-providing institution. We need to change this mentality where children believe that, after graduating, the government must give them a job. We are also responsible for creating this mindset, as we’ve long been chanting slogans demanding jobs,” said…
Welcome to Anushka Wijesinha @anushwij, who has joined our new International Advisory Board, Co-Founder and Director of the Centre for a Smart Future @CSFasia and member of the Governing Board and Monetary Policy Board of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka. bit.ly/oo-new-iab 👇
Part 3 of our 3-article series, and in this one we focus on commercial diplomacy. With less than half of SL diplomatic missions having a commercial officer, actioning the President’s directive of opening up more markets for SL firms will be a struggle ft.lk/columns/Priori…
Climate impacts are rising, affecting numerous sectors of the economy. In this op-ed, we argue that Sri Lankan financial institutions must go beyond traditional risk assessment models and focus on the climate risks that loom over their lending portfolios csf-asia.org/why-sri-lankan…
A US-India trade agreement under discussion will cover 19 categories, including greater market access for farm goods, e-commerce, data storage and critical minerals, sources say bloomberg.com/news/articles/…
(4/4) 6️⃣ Rethinking strategic international engagement 7️⃣ Advancing commercial diplomacy 8️⃣ Accelerating trade facilitation Read more here: csf-asia.org/responding-to-…