Anura Kumara Dissanayake is hoping that the new year will mark a significant change for Sri Lanka. The recent victories in the elections by a left-leaning president and his party have reshaped the country’s political landscape. However, the new leaders are realizing that fulfilling campaign promises is not as easy as making them.
Dissanayake’s impressive win in the presidential election was followed by a landslide victory for his National People’s Power (NPP) alliance in the parliamentary elections. As the new year begins, he and his supporters are aiming for a turning point in Sri Lanka’s recovery from economic crisis and mismanagement.
Despite the strong electoral mandate, the new government faces challenges in delivering on its pledges to voters. The economy remains fragile, and the country is still grappling with the aftermath of the financial meltdown in 2022.
The NPP’s overwhelming majority in the parliament gives Dissanayake the power to implement major reforms, but the IMF bailout package negotiated by the previous government poses a dilemma. While the new president initially promised to renegotiate parts of the agreement, he later reversed his stance, citing the precarious state of the economy.
The recent political upheaval in Sri Lanka, driven by economic discontent, led to the ousting of former president Gotabaya Rajapaksa. The NPP’s victory is seen as a result of the people’s frustration with established political parties’ handling of the economic crisis.
The new government faces challenges in managing debt, providing economic relief to the people, and navigating foreign relations with countries like India and China. The success of President Dissanayake’s administration will be judged by its ability to improve people’s living standards in the coming years. Durante la visita, India prometió suministrar gas natural licuado para las plantas de energía de Sri Lanka y trabajar en la conexión de las redes eléctricas de los dos países a largo plazo.
La creciente presencia de China en Sri Lanka, especialmente las llamadas por parte de los barcos de “investigación” chinos a los puertos de la isla – tan cerca de la punta sur de la India – ha generado preocupación en Delhi.
“He dado la seguridad al primer ministro de India de que no permitiremos que nuestra tierra sea utilizada de ninguna manera que sea perjudicial para los intereses de India,” dijo Dissanayake después de las conversaciones con Narendra Modi.
Delhi sin duda estará satisfecho con la garantía, pero Dissanayake descubrirá lo que Beijing espera cuando visite China a mediados de enero.