CEPA conference culminates with economic policy push for inclusive growth and resilience

Plenary session, featuring CEPA Executive Director Prof. Sirimal Abeyratne, ODI Global Senior Visiting Fellow and CEPA Advisor Dr. Ganeshan Wignaraja, CEPA Board Member and former Central Bank Senior Deputy Governor Yvette Fernando, Trade and Commerce Ministry Secretary K.A. Vimalenthirarajah and New Delhi Research and Information System for Developing Countries Professor Prof. Prabir De, was conducted by International Economic Development Group Director and ODI Global Principal Research Fellow Prof. Dirk Willem te Velde and ODI Global Distinguished Fellow Sir Vince Cable joined the session virtually

The Centre for Poverty Analysis (CEPA) marked its 25th anniversary with the inauguration of the international conference on ‘Poverty and Development in Times of Crisis’, held at Cinnamon Grand Colombo, on May 7 and 8, 2026.

The conference was organised by the CEPA in collaboration with the Asian Development Bank (ADB) andODI Global.

Bringing together the policymakers, researchers, development partners, academics, practitioners and civil society representatives from Sri Lanka and overseas, the two-day conference created a timely platform to examine how societies can protect the vulnerable communities, rebuild resilience and advance inclusive development amid repeated economic, social, climate and geopolitical shocks.

The inauguration featured the lighting of the oil lamp, a presentation on ‘CEPA at a Glance’, a welcome address by CEPA Chairperson Nelun Gunasekera, an address by ADB Country Director Shannon Cowlin, felicitation of the CEPA’s founding members and long-standing team members, an address by CEPA Executive Director Prof. Sirimal Abeyratne, a documentary screening and the keynote address by Central Bank Deputy Governor Dr. Chandranath Amarasekara.

Prof. Sirimal Abeyratne 

Speaking at the event, Prof. Abeyratne reflected on the CEPA’s 25-year journey as a leading independent think tank focused on poverty and related development challenges. He noted that the CEPA has played an important role in providing evidence-based input to policy processes and public discourse in Sri Lanka.

“Poverty is not just a lack of money. It is a lack of opportunity, a lack of agency and a lack of dignity,” he stated.

Prof. Abeyratne further emphasised that Sri Lanka’s progress in reducing poverty has been challenged by the COVID-19 pandemic and the recent economic crisis, making it necessary to focus not only on poverty reduction but also on sustainable recovery, resilience, equity and inclusion. He noted that the next phase of the CEPA’s work would require learning from Sri Lanka’s own experience as well as regional and global lessons.

Dr. Chandranath Amarasekara 

Delivering the keynote address, Dr. Amarasekara highlighted the importance of macroeconomic stability, institutional credibility and evidence-based policymaking in protecting the poor and vulnerable during times of crisis. Drawing lessons from Sri Lanka’s 2022 economic crisis, he observed that crises often emerge when multiple vulnerabilities align and stressed that policy space must be built before a crisis, not during one.

Dr. Amarasekara also underscored the need for high-quality, timely poverty data and policy-relevant research, stating that institutions such as the CEPA have a critical role in translating evidence into actionable insights for a more resilient and inclusive development trajectory.

Shannon Cowlin

Addressing the gathering, Cowlin congratulated the CEPA on its 25th anniversary and commended the organisation for convening a timely dialogue on poverty and development in times of crisis. She noted that Sri Lanka’s repeated shocks including the tsunami, terrorist attacks, COVID-19 pandemic, economic crisis and emerging geopolitical risks, have exposed deep vulnerabilities and reversed hard-won development gains.

She further highlighted the importance of building flexibility into policies and programmes, strengthening social protection systems, improving coordination and ensuring that development responses are resilient enough to protect vulnerable groups, including women, children, older persons and persons with disabilities.

A key highlight of the first day was the high-level plenary session on ‘Challenges of Trade and Economic Reforms for Growth in Developing Countries in an Uncertain Global Era’, curated by ODI Global and the CEPA. 

Prof. Dirk Willem te Velde

The session was moderated by Prof. Dirk Willem te Velde, Director International Economic Development Group and Principal Research Fellow at ODI Global and brought together senior policymakers, economists and development experts to discuss Sri Lanka’s growth prospects in a rapidly changing global environment.

The session featured special remarks by Sir Vince Cable, Distinguished Fellow at ODI Global, who highlighted Sri Lanka’s significant potential to deepen trade relationships, particularly with India and the wider region. He noted that South Asia remains one of the least regionally integrated parts of the world, despite the considerable economic upside that could be unlocked through stronger regional trade. 

He also pointed to opportunities for Sri Lanka to upgrade the existing trade arrangements, including the India-Sri Lanka Free Trade Agreement and explore deeper economic linkages with other major markets.

K.A. Vimalenthirarajah

Trade, Commerce, Food Security and Cooperative Development Ministry Secretary K.A. Vimalenthirarajah observed that Sri Lanka continues to face overlapping vulnerabilities, including external shocks, fiscal pressures, debt sustainability challenges, foreign exchange constraints, governance weaknesses and a wideningtechnological gap. 

He noted that while external conditions may remain uncertain, Sri Lanka must focus on building a stable and intelligent policy framework that can respond effectively to these pressures.

Prof. Abeyratne, speaking during the plenary, stressed that Sri Lanka’s long-term development challenge lies in sustaining growth while maintaining external balance. He noted that industrial transformation is essential to create productive opportunities that are less fragile and more sustainable. 

While social protection remains important, he emphasised that lasting solutions to poverty must come through the creation of decent economic opportunities that allow people to engage productively in the economy.

Yvette Fernando 

Yvette Fernando, Board Member of the CEPA and former Senior Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka, drew attention to the role of the financial sector in supporting growth, particularly for the SMEs. She noted that many financial institutions are structured around short-term financing, while the SMEs often require longer-term,patient capital. 

She also emphasised the need to diversify institutions that support enterprise development, modernise agriculture, promote value-added production and strengthen policy coordination across monetary, fiscal and trade policy.

Dr. Ganeshan Wignaraja, Senior Visiting Fellow at ODI Global and Advisor to the CEPA, said geopolitical tensions should also be viewed as an opportunity for Sri Lanka, given its strategic location in the Indian Ocean. 

He highlighted the potential for Sri Lanka to position itself as a hub for maritime trade, finance, professional services and digital trade. He further noted that the reforms in trade facilitation, customs, digital payments and cybersecurity would be essential to unlock the country’s export and services potential.

Prof. Prabir De 

Prof. Prabir De, Professor at the Research and Information System for Developing Countries in New Delhi, highlighted the importance of deeper regional cooperation, particularly between Sri Lanka and India. He noted that global instability has made it increasingly important for countries to reduce overdependence on single partners and strengthen regional systems, including shipping, movement of people, trade, sustainability cooperation and frameworks such as BIMSTEC.

Summarising the discussion, Prof. te Velde noted that the plenary had brought together critical insights on trade as a driver of opportunity, the role of finance and SMEs, agriculture modernisation, Sri Lanka’s geographic and regional potential, macroeconomic risks and the urgent need to strengthen regional trade integration.

The conference programme also included 18 thematic tracks covering economic systems and policy, systemic resilience, poverty and political economy, macro governance, social protection, climate systems, climate livelihoods, gender and youth agency, trade liberalisation and poverty, educational inequality, artificial intelligence and digital inclusion, urban poverty systems, food security and sustainable agriculture, employment and livelihoods, governance gaps, social vulnerability policy, skills for the future and a Young Researchers’ Platform.

The second day of the conference featured discussions on inequality in Sri Lanka as well as national strategies and donor partnerships for promoting growth and poverty reduction.

The conference concluded by reinforcing the need for shared conversations between researchers, policymakers, development partners and practitioners. As Sri Lanka continues its recovery journey, the CEPA’s 25th anniversary conference highlighted the importance of evidence, institutional reform, inclusive growth, trade-led opportunity creation, regional cooperation and resilient social protection in ensuring that future development pathways do not leave vulnerable communities behind.

Felicitation of CEPA founding members and longstanding team members

Pix by Pradeep Pathirana