Lakshman Kadirgamar Institute’s emergency roundtable discussion focuses on ME tensions

The Lakshman Kadirgamar Institute of International Relations and Strategic Studies (LKIIRSS) convened an Emergency Roundtable Discussion on ‘Tensions in the Middle East due to the Iran-Israel Conflict and Potential Impact’ recently, at the LKIIRSS boardroom. 

The session brought together representatives from key government institutions and private sector stakeholders.

The roundtable addressed concerns over potential disruptions to energy imports, shipping routes, labour migration and economic stability stemming from the ongoing Iran-Israel conflict. 

The participants discussed Sri Lanka’s readiness to handle crises in areas such as fuel supply, port congestion, foreign employment and media communication. 

Officials from the Finance Ministry, Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism Ministry, Defence Ministry, Central Bank of Sri Lanka, Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment, Sri Lanka Navy, Sri Lanka Petroleum Corporation, SriLankan Airlines, Sri Lanka Ports Authority, Sri Lanka Tea Board, Government Information Department and Institute of National Security Studies, along with private sector representatives from John Keells Holdings and the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce, shared their current assessments and contingency frameworks.

The discussion highlighted the importance of coordinated national response mechanisms, real-time data sharing and inter-agency cooperation in managing future regional crises. 

The event reaffirmed the LKIIRSS’s role as a platform for constructive dialogue during emerging geopolitical challenges.