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WB assistance for green, resilient, and inclusive development in Lanka, Maldives, and Nepal
Countries worldwide are navigating their way out of the ongoing COVID-19 crisis, while facing the adverse effects of climate change. The world needs innovative approaches to build back better, mitigate and adapt to the biggest development challenges of our time, according to a World Bank report.
The WB said: Mindful of this need, the World Bank Group has been engaging with the governments of Maldives, Nepal and Sri Lanka to help increase access to and use of digital technologies and pave the way for a green, resilient, and inclusive development (GRID).
In the Maldives, the World Bank is working to understand climate change and support adaptation better. Its work in Sri Lanka is helping build more resilient public services. In Nepal, the World Bank aim to mobilize private capital to close digital access gaps in rural and mountainous regions.
Digital technologies have played a major role in the government’s response to COVID-19. It has allowed governments to continue functioning and deliver services to their people. With support from the World Bank, the Information and Communication Technology Agency (ICTA) in Sri Lanka has been leading efforts to build resilience by enhancing its government network and providing Government agencies with the digital tools and services to work remotely and deliver public services.
For example, ICTA plans to roll out a digital Forms.gov.lk solution as a new contactless solution for the public and businesses to fill and submit relevant documents to obtain public services digitally. A secure and robust government-wide email and collaboration service with video conferencing facilities is also in the works. ICTA is also enhancing the capacity of the government cloud infrastructure (LGC 2.0) to support more services, as the agency continues to shift its services online. A disaster recovery site will also be established for LGC 2.0 so that critical data is not lost in times of exogenous shocks, including natural disasters such as flooding and cyclones. These investments will help Sri Lanka build back better, ensuring that the Government is positioned to continue its operations and deliver services in the face of future shocks.
Maldives faces existential risks with climate change and rising sea levels. While engaging in global discussions on decarbonisation, it is also looking to diversify its economy beyond tourism and fisheries, while decentralising service delivery beyond the crowded capital city of Malé. For all of these, Maldives is looking at using digital tools.
Nepal had been working towards realizing its vision of a digital economy—captured in the 2019 Digital Nepal Framework—to create an engine of growth and expand service delivery across its challenging terrain. The pandemic has accelerated those plans, as the digital divides across urban and rural areas and among households at different income levels became starkly evident. For example, two-thirds of Nepal’s schoolchildren could not access remote learning during school closures, often due to limited access to devices or networks.
Looking forward from these excellent examples, we hope that a growing base of knowledge can help chart pathways out of the pandemic and its effects, while preparing for other challenges by building back better on solid digital foundations. The experiences of countries such as the sMaldives, Nepal, and Sri Lanka, suggest that meaningful execution of the GRID approach serves the people and their nations.
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
