Women ambassadors and heads of diplomatic missions accredited to Sri Lanka met members of the Women Parliamentarians’ Caucus at Parliament recently to mark the International Day of Women in Diplomacy and discuss ways of strengthening women’s representation in leadership and decision-making.

The meeting was organised to recognise the contribution of women to global peace, security and sustainable development while promoting equal participation in international decision-making processes.

Chairperson of the Women Parliamentarians’ Caucus and Minister of Women and Child Affairs Saroja Savithri Paulraj welcomed the visiting diplomats and highlighted the importance of strengthening women’s leadership in public life.

Addressing the gathering, Indonesia’s Ambassador to Sri Lanka and Dean of the Diplomatic Corps, Dewi Gustina Tobing, said Sri Lanka had made history by producing the world’s first woman Prime Minister, describing it as a landmark achievement in advancing women’s leadership. She also welcomed the increased representation of women in the current Parliament.

The meeting featured an exchange of views between members of the Women’s Parliamentarians’ Caucus and the diplomats on enhancing women’s participation in diplomacy, politics, governance and other leadership roles, while underscoring the need for closer cooperation in promoting gender equality.

The visiting diplomats also toured the Parliament complex and were formally welcomed in the Chamber, where they observed parliamentary proceedings.

Secretary General of Parliament Kushani Rohanadeera, who also serves as Secretary to the Women Parliamentarians’ Caucus, and members of the caucus participated in the event.

Sri Lanka has been reclassified as an upper-middle-income economy by the World Bank, marking a return to the category four years after the country’s worst economic crisis pushed it to the brink of collapse, reported Xinhua.

The latest country income classification, released on July 1, places Sri Lanka back among upper-middle-income economies following a recovery led by stronger output across industry, manufacturing, financial services and tourism. The World Bank said Sri Lanka’s real GDP grew by 5 percent in 2025.

“Sri Lanka is a story of recovery. Just three years after a severe economic crisis brought the country to the brink of collapse in 2022, real GDP grew by 5 percent in 2025, driven by a rebound across industries and growth in financial and tourism services. The reclassification is a marker of resilience, though the country only narrowly crossed the threshold,” it said.

 The World Bank updates its income classifications on July 1 each year through its Development Data Group, using gross national income per capita estimates from the previous calendar year. Economies are grouped as low-income, lower-middle-income, upper-middle-income or high-income. This year’s classification covers 218 economies and will remain the global reference until the end of June 2027.

China has reaffirmed its commitment to global cooperation, development partnerships and strengthening China–Sri Lanka relations, as the Communist Party of China (CPC) marked its 105th anniversary, Chinese Ambassador to Sri Lanka Qi Zhenhong said.

Speaking at a reception held in Colombo last Wednesday (01) to commemorate the milestone, Ambassador Qi said the CPC, over its 105-year journey, had transformed China through reform, development and modernisation while remaining “true to its original aspiration” of serving the people.

He said the leadership of the CPC was “a choice of history and the people,” noting that China’s development trajectory had been shaped by decades of reform and opening-up, lifting living standards and strengthening national capacity.

Highlighting China’s development achievements, the Ambassador said the country had eradicated absolute poverty, built a moderately prosperous society in all respects, and established comprehensive education, healthcare and social security systems covering both urban and rural populations.

He added that China’s economy, with a gross domestic product exceeding 140 trillion yuan, continued to play a leading role in global trade and technological innovation, citing advances in areas such as lunar exploration, deep-sea research, high-speed rail and 5G technology.

Ambassador Qi also underscored China’s global initiatives, including the Belt and Road Initiative and the Global Development, Security, Civilization and Governance Initiatives, saying they had been embraced by nearly 160 countries and international organisations. He said China remained a “builder of world peace and contributor to global development.”

Turning to bilateral relations, he said China and Sri Lanka shared a longstanding friendship rooted in ancient ties and strengthened through continuous political and party-to-party engagement based on mutual respect and equality.

He noted that recent high-level exchanges, including meetings between President Xi Jinping and President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, had provided new direction for bilateral cooperation.

The Ambassador said the Communist Party of China was ready to expand exchanges with Sri Lankan political parties, share governance experiences, and deepen practical cooperation in areas such as poverty alleviation and digital development.

He added that China and Sri Lanka should work together to implement the consensus reached by both heads of state and build a “China–Sri Lanka community with a shared future of strategic significance.”

Concluding his remarks, Ambassador Qi said global challenges required greater solidarity among nations and reiterated China’s willingness to work with all countries to promote peace, development and mutual prosperity.

“Walking with China means walking with opportunities,” he said, proposing a toast to the CPC’s anniversary, the health of guests, and the continued friendship between the peoples of all nations.