Friday Feb 06, 2026
Friday Feb 06, 2026
Friday, 6 February 2026 04:53 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
The Government has announced the visit of World Bank Group Executive Director Parameswaran Iyer to Colombo. He was accompanied by World Bank Country Director for Maldives, Nepal, and Sri Lanka David Sislen.
Iyer represents Sri Lanka and several other countries in the region on the World Bank’s Executive Board and brings extensive experience in development policy, governance, and international cooperation.
During his visit, Iyer held discussions with Treasury Secretary Dr. Harshana Suriyapperuma. The discussions focused on Sri Lanka’s economic priorities and the role of World Bank support in advancing national development goals.
Iyer highlighted key priority sectors identified by the World Bank for driving job creation and economic growth in emerging markets. These sectors include infrastructure development, particularly energy and transport, as well as agribusiness, healthcare, tourism, and value-added manufacturing.
Dr. Suriyapperuma underscored the importance of formulating strategies to attract investment, promote inclusive growth, and strengthen cooperation in sectors critical to Sri Lanka’s economic and social development. He identified economic resilience, sustainable growth, social development, and institutional capacity building as key focus areas for continued engagement.
The visit also provided an opportunity to review ongoing World Bank-supported initiatives in Sri Lanka and to explore ways to enhance their effectiveness, while ensuring alignment with the country’s national development objectives.
