The surprising results of yesterday’s snap elections ushered in a new president for Sri Lanka — and with it, possibilities to improve the South Asian country’s path to development.
President Mahinda Rajapaksa — who was expected to win by a landslide — conceded to his former cabinet member, Mithripala Sirisena, early Friday morning. The incoming president will now have to lead arguably one of the most corrupt countries in South Asia. Sri Lanka has also been subjected to increasing international pressure to address its human rights issues, which are among the lingering aftereffects of decadeslong ethnic violence.
The 63-year-old former bureaucrat will be sworn into office Friday evening (Colombo time) following one of the country’s tightest yet most successful polls in terms of voter turnout in recent years. Indian President Narendra Modi and U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry welcomed the poll results, particularly Rajapaksa’s promise to carry out “peaceful and orderly transfers of power.”
About the author
Lean Alfred Santos@DevexLeanAS
Lean Alfred Santos is a former Devex development reporter focusing on the development community in Asia-Pacific, including major players such as the Asian Development Bank and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank. He previously covered Philippine and international business and economic news, sports and politics.
