Sri Lanka

EDB collaborating with Harvard Center for International Development to boost exports

January 17, 2017

DailyFT

The Sri Lanka Export Development Board (EDB) is collaborating with the Harvard Center for International Development on a project to identify and rapidly catalyse new or emerging export sectors and enlarge Sri Lanka’s export basket. 

The initiative is being held under the guidance of the Ministry of Development Strategies and International Trade, the Sri Lanka Export Development Board (EDB) and the Board of Investment (BOI).  

On the request of State Minister of International Trade, Sujeewa Senasinghe, last week a meeting with Prof....

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Sri Lanka’s economic recovery from coronavirus

April 17, 2020

Ricardo Hausmann in the Daily Mirror

The purpose of this article is to suggest how Sri Lanka can undertake significant structural reforms in the aftermath of this global pandemic and place herself in a position of increased economic strength.

Apart from the money the government will have to spend towards the medical management of the virus, it will have to spend a significant sum of money on social welfare and also support the corporate sector in the coming months. Economists are unable to estimate the sum of money that will be required for this purpose...

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The knowhow path to Sri Lankan development

September 5, 2018

Ricardo Hausmann - DailyFT

When Adam Smith wrote ‘The Wealth of Nations’ in 1776, the richest country in the world was four times richer than the poorest one. Today, Singapore is over 110 times richer than Burundi. What could possibly explain such an extreme divergence of the wealth of nations? 

Economists have shown that these differences are too large to be explained by differences in the availability of land or capital – including human capital. So, they ascribe it to differences in the productivity with which land and capital are used,...

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Immigration key catalyst for development

May 17, 2018

Daily FT

Reforming immigration law to allow free movement of people through progressive laws could tackle Sri Lanka’s chronic economic challenges of narrow exports, low Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) and limited innovation, a top expert said yesterday, outlining many examples of countries that have experienced growth spurts by opening up their labour markets.  

Prof. Ricardo Hausmann is Director of Harvard’s Center for International Development and Professor of the Practice of Economic Development at the Kennedy School of Government. Delivering a...

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Harvard economist calls for tariff reforms to increase exports

February 9, 2018

Robert Lawrence/Sri Lanka project - Daily FT

Making a compelling case against tariff regimes, renowned Harvard economist Dr. Robert Lawrence yesterday called for a simpler system with significantly lower tariffs in order to increase Sri Lanka’s exports.

Delivering a lecture on protectionism organised by the Advocata Institute in Colombo, Prof. Lawrence, who is the Faculty Chair of the Practice of Trade Policy program at Harvard University’s Kennedy School, said that imposing tariffs is the wrong way to raise revenue, highlighting the need for tax reforms with...

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Charting a path towards Lanka’s durable success

March 13, 2017

Ricardo Hausmann for Daily News

It is not just because I am from Venezuela that I see Sri Lanka with admiration and envy. The island has made more progress in human development than any other in South Asia. It has reduced poverty in a pretty dramatic way. It has many reasons to be proud of its achievements. But anything that is worth doing, is worth doing better. The Center for International Development at Harvard University is collaborating with the Government of Sri Lanka to work on a strategy to make progress faster, more sustainable and more inclusive.

...

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Sri Lanka to boost economic diplomacy with Harvard University

March 7, 2017

EconomyNext

Sri Lanka's government is boosting its economic diplomacy capacity with Harvard University which will help boost investments and exports, Deputy Finance Minister Harsha de Silva said.

"Traditional diplomacy was to bring peace," Deputy Foreign Minister Harsha de Silva said. "Economic diplomacy is to bring prosperity."

Sri Lanka had a presence in over 60 countries spending about 9 billion rupees a year, de Silva said.

"Sri Lanka is running a race, where we are behind Thailand, Vietnam and Myanmar," he said. "We have some good runners, we need a strategy. We have got the best coaches in the world to coach our runners."... Read more about Sri Lanka to boost economic diplomacy with Harvard University

Harvard University to conduct online Economic Diplomacy course for officials of Sri Lanka Foreign Ministry and Commerce Department

March 7, 2017

ColomboPage, Sri Lanka Internet Newspaper

 As part of its economic diplomacy role, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has undertaken a unique initiative to design and implement an online Economic Diplomacy Course catering to Sri Lanka's specific economic needs and challenges.

This Course is a result of the Foreign Ministry's collaboration with the Department of Commerce and Harvard University, one of the most prestigious Universities in the world.

The ceremonial launching of the Course was held today, 7th March 2017 at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs presided over by the Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs Harsha de Silva. Also participating at the event were Mrs. Sonali Wijeratne, Director General, Department of Commerce; Professor Matt Andrews, Senior Lecturer, Harvard University Center for International Development (HCID), invited guests and officials selected to take part in the Course.

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Sri Lanka needs economic knowhow

January 11, 2017

Ricardo Hausmann, Growth Lab research - Daily News

Professor Ricardo Hausmann of the Harvard Kennedy School of Government delivered a lecture entitled “Increasing your chances of success while leaving your comfort zone: adapting Sri Lanka’s growth model to new constraints,” yesterday at BMICH.

Hausmann, who runs the Kennedy School’s Center for International Development, and his team have been studying Sri Lanka’s economy for the past year. His lecture spanned over two hours and covered the country’s current economic shortcomings and its paths to increased...

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