South's increasing foreign policy challenges

That the prevailing international political and economic uncertainties are posing the most difficult challenges in the field of foreign policy formulation for the global South is increasingly plain to see.

- BY LYNN OCKERSZ

This is particularly so for the poorest of poor countries of the South.

A case in point is bankrupt Sri Lanka. To what extent, for instance, could it traverse a course of independence in foreign policy making, considering that it is abjectly dependent on the foremost powers of the West and its major financial institutions, such as the IMF and the World Bank, for its economic sustenance?

The answer is an obvious 'No' and the current regime in Sri Lanka, which is supposedly Left-oriented, is confronted with the trying challenge of adopting at least a relatively independent foreign policy while not falling out of favour with the US and other principal powers of its ilk.

In other words, to what degree could Sri Lanka adhere to the policy of Non-alignment which generations of Sri Lankans in post-independence times have been given to understand is an inviolable underlying principle in the country's foreign policy making? This question underscores a principal dilemma in the area of foreign policy which currently confronts the vast majority of the poorest of poor countries.

True to its reputation as an institution of higher learning that is exceptionally cognizant of the issues of our times, the Bandaranaike Centre for International Studies, Colombo (BCIS) took on the challenge of exploring and understanding the above and linked questions in a timely panel discussion and forum. The event was held on May 28th at the auditorium of the BCIS and was titled, 'Foreign Policy in Times of Crisis - Lessons from Bandung'.

The main presenters at the forum were, H.M.G.S. Palihakkara, a former Foreign Secretary of Sri Lanka and an ex ambassador and Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka to the UN and Shiran Illanperuma, a political economist and a researcher at the 'Tricontinental Institute for Social Research'. The latter is also a journalist.