https://www.scmp.com/rss/515524/feed Ram Manikkalingam is director of the Dialogue Advisory Group. He previously served as a senior adviser to president Chandrika Kumaratunga of Sri Lanka on the peace process. He has mediated between governments, rebel groups and international organisations in several conflict situations. He has been engaged in discussions with policymakers and political leaders on debt restructuring in Sri Lanka. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Ram Manikkalingam Ram Manikkalingam There are places in the world where you expect war to intrude. And then there are places where its arrival feels surreal. For me, the Sri Lankan city of Galle has always belonged firmly to the latter category. The old fort, perched above the Indian Ocean, has the feel of a tropical cousin to Cartagena’s walled city. Inside its ramparts is an improbable mix: Western expatriates, boutique hotels, a long-standing local Muslim community and wealthy Sri Lankans who have restored colonial houses into... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3346175/how-war-iran-struck-shores-sri-lanka?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3346175/how-war-iran-struck-shores-sri-lanka?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 14 Mar 2026 21:30:07 +0000 The International Monetary Fund approved a US$3 billion loan to Sri Lanka a month ago as the first step in restructuring its debt. This is a significant victory for Sri Lanka’s President Ranil Wickremesinghe and could lead to a gradual stabilisation of the economy and the government’s turnaround from bankruptcy. After the “staff-level agreement” signed with the IMF six months ago, Sri Lanka’s debt restructuring has finally been approved by the IMF board. In this restructuring, China played a... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3218319/sri-lanka-debt-deal-shows-creditors-can-set-aside-geopolitical-rivalries-debt-distressed-nations?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3218319/sri-lanka-debt-deal-shows-creditors-can-set-aside-geopolitical-rivalries-debt-distressed-nations?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 26 Apr 2023 13:30:19 +0000