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Current state of SDG advancement globally is unsatisfactory – President
Addressing the SDG Summit 2023, President Ranil Wickremesinghe delivered a stark assessment of the global progress towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. He emphasized that the current state of SDG advancement globally is unsatisfactory, with only 12% of the targets on track while no progress has been made in 30% of the other critical targets.
President Wickremesinghe drew attention to the backdrop of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, encompassing the 17 SDGs, which was adopted by United Nations Member States in 2015. During the same year, the Paris Agreement, a landmark pact adopted by 196 countries at COP21, emerged as another progressive global initiative. However, the President noted that despite these ambitious endeavours, there has been a severe scarcity of resources dedicated to their successful implementation.
The global pandemic that unfolded in 2020 dealt a devastating blow to these programs. Economic growth stagnated and numerous sectors witnessed a complete absence of economic activity. This exacerbated the already existing global debt crisis, pushing many nations, including Sri Lanka, to the brink of bankruptcy. The looming question now is whether the SDGs remain achievable in the current, resource-constrained scenario.
Taking Sri Lanka as an example, President Wickremesinghe revealed that prior estimates in 2019 indicated that approximately 9% of the country’s GDP would need to be invested to attain these ambitious targets. However, the economic fallout from the pandemic and the ensuing crisis have made this goal increasingly unrealistic. The President underscored the fact that Sri Lanka’s climate prosperity plan alone requires a substantial investment of US $26.5 billion before 2030, a sum that is increasingly challenging to secure.
The dire financial situation extends beyond Sri Lanka, impacting many regions of Asia and Africa. Even countries that have managed to avoid bankruptcy are grappling with the consequences of the ongoing crisis. The G20 summit recently reaffirmed that developing nations require a staggering $5.9 trillion in financing by 2030 to fulfill their nationally determined contributions. Additionally, an annual investment of $4 trillion is essential for the adoption of clean energy technologies to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050.
President Wickremesinghe called for a critical examination of whether these figures are feasible in the face of the unprecedented financial calamity affecting many nations. He stressed that the Paris Summit for New Global Financing Act holds promise in addressing financial challenges. However, he concluded by emphasizing the urgent need to determine concrete actions to navigate this complex and daunting landscape of global financing.
(PMD)
The U.S. Embassy in Colombo welcomed the U.S. Sports Envoys to Sri Lanka, former National Basketball Association (NBA) and Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) players Stephen Howard and Astou Ndiaye, from June 8 through 14.
The Public Diplomacy section of the U.S. Embassy said that it would launch a weeklong basketball program intended to harness the unifying power of sports, made possible through collaboration with Foundation of Goodness and IImpact Hoop Lab.
While in Sri Lanka, Howard and Ndiaye, both retired professional basketball players, will conduct a weeklong program, Hoops for Hope: Bridging Borders through Basketball. The Sports Envoys will lead basketball clinics and exhibition matches and engage in leadership sessions in Colombo and Southern Province for youth aged 14-18 from Northern, Uva, Eastern and Western Provinces, offering skills and leadership training both on and off the court. The U.S. Envoys will also share their expertise with the Sri Lanka Basketball Federation, national coaches, and players, furthering the development of basketball in the country. Beyond the clinics, they will collaborate with Sri Lankan schoolchildren to take part in a community service project in the Colombo area.
“We are so proud to welcome Stephen and Astou as our Sports Envoys to Sri Lanka, to build on the strong people-to-people connections between the United States and Sri Lanka,” said U.S. Ambassador Julie Chung. “The lessons that will be shared by our Sports Envoys – communication, teamwork, resilience, inclusion, and conflict resolution – are essential for leadership development, community building, equality, and peace. The U.S. Sports Envoy program is a testament to our belief that sports can be a powerful tool in promoting peace and unity.”
SJB Colombo District MP Mujibur Rahuman in parliament demanded to know from the government the reasons for CEB suspending the leave of all its employees until further notice from Thursday.
MP Rahuman said that the CEB has got an acting General Manager anew and the latter yesterday morning issued a circular suspending leave of all CEB employees with immediate effect until further notice.
“We demand that Minister Kanchana Wijesekera should explain this to the House. This circular was issued while this debate on the new Electricity Amendment Bill was pending. There are many who oppose this Bill. The Minister must tell parliament the reason for the urge to cancel the leave of CEB employees,” the MP said.However, Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena prevented Minister Wijesekera responding to the query and said that the matter raised by MP Rahuman was not relevant.
The Chartered Institute of Personnel Management (CIPM) successfully concluded the 8th Annual CIPM Symposium, which took place on 31st May 2024. Themed “Nurturing the Human Element—Redefining HRM in a Rapidly Changing World,” the symposium underscored the pivotal role of human resource management (HRM) in today’s dynamic global landscape. Since its inception in 1959, CIPM has been dedicated to advancing the HR profession through education, professional development, and advocacy, solidifying its position as Sri Lanka’s leading professional body for HRM.
Ken Vijayakumar, the President of the CIPM, graced the occasion as the chief guest. The symposium commenced with the welcome address by the Chairperson, Prof. Arosha Adikaram, followed by the Web Launch of the Symposium Proceedings and Abstract Book by the CIPM President. The event featured distinguished addresses, including a speech by Chief Guest Ken Vijayakumar, President of CIPM, and an address by Guest of Honor Shakthi Ranatunga, Chief Operating Officer of MAS Holdings Pvt. Ltd., Sri Lanka.
The symposium also featured an inspiring keynote address by Prof. Mario Fernando, Professor of Management and Director of the Centre for Cross Cultural Management (CCCM) at the University of Wollongong, Australia.
Vote of Thanks of the inauguration session was delivered by Dr. Dillanjani Weeratunga, Symposium Co-chair.
The symposium served as a comprehensive platform for researchers to present their findings across a wide range of critical topics in HRM. These included Cultural Diversity and Inclusion, Talent Development and Retention, Ethical Leadership and Corporate Social Responsibility, Adapting to Technological Advancements, Mental Health and Well-being at Work, Global Workforce Challenges, Employee Empowerment, and Reskilling and Upskilling.
The plenary session was led by Prof. Wasantha Rajapakse. Certificates were awarded to the best paper presenters during the valedictory session, followed by a vote of thanks delivered by Kamani Perera, Manager of Research and Development.
The annual symposium of CIPM was a truly inclusive event, attracting a diverse audience that spanned undergraduates, graduates, working professionals, research scholars and lecturers. This widespread interest highlights the symposium’s significance in the field of HRM, offering a unique opportunity for everyone to network and learn from scholarly brains.The CIPM International Research Symposium was sponsored by Hambantota International Port, Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology (SLIIT), E B Creasy & Co. PLC, and Print Xcel Company.
US sports envoys to Lanka to champion youth development
Rahuman questions sudden cancellation of leave of CEB employees
