COVID-19 is a global pandemic that has affected many countries including Sri Lanka.
The Government has announced various stimulus/relief measures. However, a comprehensive analysis on the ‘new normals’ is needed to understand the socioeconomic impacts and recovery needs of the crisis. This will help design a ‘whole of society’ road map for recovery which would strengthen national development planning institutions, and leverage youth entrepreneurs to formulate innovative solutions to help rebuild the economy.
To better understand how Sri Lanka can navigate these ‘new normals’, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) convened a high-level virtual dialogue in collaboration with the Resident Coordinator’s Office of the United Nations and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) in Sri Lanka.
Speaking at the opening of the dialogue, Robert Juhkam, Resident Representative of UNDP in Sri Lanka stated: “Post-COVID-19 is not about building ‘back’ better. It is about building ‘forward’ with more innovation at the forefront of our work”.
In line with this, Hanaa Singer, Resident Coordinator of the United Nations in Sri Lanka emphasized the importance of social protection by “making macroeconomic policies work for the vulnerable”, thereby stressing the significance of “innovative financing”.
Prof. W.D. Lakshman, Governor of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka welcomed today’s discussion and stated, “During the crisis, using all available resources, the Government has worked very hard to contain the virus – more so than most affected countries. This Dialogue is indeed very welcome and is the first step to convening several stakeholders to design holistic solutions.”
Drawing attention to the concept of ‘new normals’ Faiza Effendi, Deputy Resident Representative of UNDP in Sri Lanka stated that the pandemic was “demonstrating to us the emergence of a ‘new normal’ and is forcing us to look at a new social contract which will focus on reaching the most vulnerable.” To page 08
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