Anura Kumara Dissanayake is hoping that the new year will mark a significant turning point for Sri Lanka. The recent election victories by a left-leaning president and his party have reshaped the country’s political landscape. However, the new leaders are quickly realizing that fulfilling campaign promises is much harder than making them. Despite the National People’s Power (NPP) alliance’s landslide victory in parliamentary elections, the government faces challenges in delivering on its pledges to the high expectations of voters.
Since the economic crisis of 2022, Sri Lanka has been struggling to recover, with fragile economic stability. The NPP’s unprecedented majority in the assembly has given Dissanayake a strong mandate to implement major reforms. However, the government is also dealing with the aftermath of an IMF bailout package that imposed austerity measures and tax hikes, causing hardship for many citizens. Despite initially promising to renegotiate parts of the IMF agreement, Dissanayake later stated that the country’s fragile economy cannot afford any disruptions.
The election results reflect a popular uprising driven by economic frustrations, leading to the ousting of former president Gotabaya Rajapaksa. The new government faces challenges in managing the country’s massive debt and providing economic relief to citizens struggling with the high cost of living. The ongoing power struggle between India and China for influence in Sri Lanka adds another layer of complexity to Dissanayake’s administration.
As the new government navigates these challenges, the perception of President Dissanayake and his administration among the people will depend on their ability to improve living standards in the coming years. The pressure is on to deliver tangible results in order to maintain public support and bring about positive change for the country. Während des Besuchs versprach Indien, verflüssigtes Erdgas für die srilankischen Kraftwerke bereitzustellen und langfristig an der Verbindung der Stromnetze beider Länder zu arbeiten.
Chinas zunehmender Einfluss in Sri Lanka, insbesondere die Besuche chinesischer „Forschungsschiffe“ in den Häfen der Insel – so nahe am südlichen Zipfel Indiens – hat in Delhi Bedenken ausgelöst.
„Ich habe dem Premierminister von Indien versichert, dass wir unser Land in keiner Weise so verwenden werden, dass es den Interessen Indiens schadet“, sagte Dissanayake nach Gesprächen mit Narendra Modi.
Delhi wird zweifellos über die Zusicherung erfreut sein, aber Dissanayake wird herausfinden, was Peking erwartet, wenn er Mitte Januar China besucht.