Central Bank conducts Int’l Research Symposium 2025

The Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) conducted International Research Symposium 2025 during December 08-10, 2025, under the theme of ‘Stability for Prosperity’ at the CBSL John Exter International Conference Hall, to mark the 75th anniversary of the CBSL. 

The symposium, organised by the Economic Research Department of the CBSL, comprised the following three research events that reflected the CBSL’s commitment to enhancing economic research and evidence-based policymaking:

 14th CBSL International Research Conference (CBSL IRC) 
 SAARCFINANCE Database Seminar 2025 (SF Database Seminar) 
 Sixth Joint Workshop co-hosted by the CBSL in collaboration with the Asian Development Bank and Asia-Pacific Applied Economics Association (CBSL-ADB-APAEA Conference)  

Under this Research Symposium, the CBSL held its flagship research event, the 14th IRC, on December 08, 2025. The Conference aimed at stimulating innovative theoretical and empirical research on various contemporary macroeconomic policy issues. 

Delivering the inaugural address at this event, CBSL Governor Dr. Nandalal Weerasinghe highlighted the multidimensional risks faced by small open economies, including geoeconomic fragmentation, rapidly evolving trade and financial patterns and climate risks that amplify economic vulnerabilities. 

Former Reserve Bank of India Deputy Governor Dr. Michael D. Patra delivered the keynote address at the IRC. In his speech titled ‘Emerging Economies: Securing Stability Amidst Uncertain Times’, Dr. Patra discussed the global trends, such as geopolitical uncertainties, economic and trade policy uncertainties, supply chain pressures and financial market spillovers that threaten the economic stability of countries.  The inaugural session of the IRC was followed by two technical sessions chaired by Senior Deputy Governor Nelumani Daulagala and CBSL Deputy Governor Dr. Chandranath Amarasekara. 

Eight research papers in the areas of inflation forecasting, capital flows, credit dynamics, financial risks, sustainable development, financial inclusion and productivity, which were selected through a rigorous double-blind evaluation process from a large number of submissions, were presented by the local and international researchers. 

Alongside the Conference, the CBSL published the latest volume of its flagship research journal, ‘Staff Studies’.

On the second day of the symposium, the CBSL hosted the SF Database Seminar. Sri Lanka held the Chairmanship of the SAARCFINANCE Network in 2024. It is customary for the country that held the SAARCFINANCE Chairmanship in a particular year to host the Database Seminar in the subsequent year. Accordingly, the CBSL hosted the SF Database Seminar in 2025, with delegates from SAARC central banks participating both in person and virtually.  

Delivering the keynote address during the inaugural session of the seminar, Dr. Amarasekara highlighted the importance of data and its effective use in achieving macroeconomic policy goals. 

The seminar featured two technical sessions chaired by CBSL Economic Research Director Dr. Sujeetha Jegajeevan and Economic Research Additional Director Dr. Vipula Wickramarachchi. 

SAARCFINANCE Nodal Officers’ Meeting was conducted on the sidelines of the Database Seminar. 

The final event under the symposium was the Sixth CBSL-ADB-APAEA Joint Workshop held on December 10, 2025. Inaugurating the CBSL-ADB-APAEA Conference, Dr. Weerasinghe emphasised that the central banks must upgrade their analytical capabilities continuously and adopt evidence-based policymaking amid rapid global economic changes and technological advancements. 

Further, APAEA Founder and President Prof. Paresh Narayan and ADB Principal Economist Dr. John Beirne also underscored the importance of sustaining research collaboration between institutions and the critical role of research in informed policy making. The workshop comprised two technical sessions featuring eight research paper presentations by authors from the CBSL, ADB and APAEA, covering contemporary areas such as credit cycles, inflation, capital flows, nowcasting of economic growth, climate shocks, fiscal rules and asset pricing models   These sessions were chaired by CBSL Economic Research Department Additional Director Dr. Lasitha Pathberiya and Dr. Beirne.