A high-level meeting of party leaders took place today (10) at the Presidential Secretariat, chaired by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, to deliberate on the economic implications of the new U.S. tariffs and the strategic actions Sri Lanka should take in response.
The meeting was convened by the President following a formal request made by a group of opposition Members of Parliament seeking an opportunity to directly engage with the President on the pressing issue. During the meeting, President Dissanayake provided a detailed briefing on the findings and concerns raised by the committee he had appointed to assess the impact of the U.S. tariffs. He also outlined the measures already taken by the government to address the situation.
The committee’s insights and the counter-proposals brought forward by various opposition parties formed the core of the discussion. Participants engaged in a wide-ranging conversation, exploring the committee’s recommendations and the opposition’s views with equal depth and seriousness.
One of the main points of focus during the meeting was the formulation of a comprehensive set of proposals to be taken into future discussions with the United States. Additionally, the necessity of diversifying Sri Lanka’s export markets to reduce dependency and mitigate future risks was discussed in detail.
It was agreed that all proposals submitted during this session, including those from the opposition and the presidential committee, would be reviewed further and consolidated into a unified national response plan.
The meeting was attended by a broad spectrum of political representatives. Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa, MP Harsha de Silva from the Samagi Jana Balawegaya, MP S. Rasamanikkam of the Tamil National Alliance, and MP Ravi Karunanayake from the New Democratic Front contributed to the discussions. Also present were MP D.V. Chanaka representing the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna, MPs Mano Ganesan and Palani Digambaram from the Tamil Progressive Alliance, and MP M.L.A.M. Hizbullah of the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress.
MP Rishad Bathiudeen, representing the All Ceylon People’s Congress, MP Dilith Jayaweera of the Sarvajana Balaya Party, MP Jeevan Thondaman from the United National Party, and MP Dayasiri Jayasekara of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party shared their perspectives. MP A. Archuna, representing the 17 independent groups, also contributed his views.
Additional participation came from MPs Gayantha Karunathilaka, Kavinda Jayawardena, S.M. Marikkar, and Kader Mastan, ensuring a robust and inclusive dialogue.
