Reform momentum is real but must hold steady: EDOTCO Chief tells SL

Kenneth Shen

Sri Lanka’s reform push is beginning to show real traction, but the window to convert that momentum into long-term, inclusive growth will only remain open if the country keeps its course steady, EDOTCO Group Chairman Kenneth Shen told the Sri Lanka Economic and Investment Summit 2025 yesterday.
Delivering the keynote address, Shen said Sri Lanka is at an inflection point where disciplined reform, stronger institutions and targeted investment can collectively shift the country onto a more stable, competitive growth trajectory. 
While acknowledging the human and economic toll of the past week’s climate disaster, he stressed that resilience alone will not be enough without policy consistency.
“Sri Lanka has endured immense pressure from the IMF-led reforms, but the gains are real. There is light at the end of the tunnel, and the progress made so far must not be diluted,” he said while calling for continued commitment to structural change even amidst political and social strain.
Shen pointed to major global shifts reshaping investment flows—from geopolitics and supply chain realignments to the accelerating climate crisis and rapid advances in AI, and urged Sri Lanka to position itself strategically rather than reactively. Cyclone Ditwah highlights both, the country’s vulnerability and the urgency of embedding climate resilience into its growth model.
He opined that Sri Lanka’s advantages remain compelling: a pivotal maritime location, world-class tourism assets, strengthening digital infrastructure and deep human capital, including a global network of high-performing Sri Lankan professionals. These strengths give the country an opening to reposition itself as a nimble, future-ready economy.
“AI and emerging technologies are democratising opportunity. It’s not just a game of capital anymore,” Shen observed.He noted that small economies with the right governance frameworks can compete effectively in the next wave of economic transformation.
Shen added that given its size, Sri Lanka has the ability to pivot quickly—something larger economies struggle to do. But agility, he cautioned, requires clarity in policy, predictable regulation and institutions strong enough to sustain reform over political cycles.
“In every crisis, there is an opening. Sri Lanka has the fundamentals and the resilience to emerge stronger if it protects the reforms and channels investment into long-term, equitable growth,” he said.
(SAA)