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Ranil calls for regionalism amid global shifts
The Island
|May 22, 2025
Reiterates the need to integrate with southern India's rapidly growing economy
At the inaugural session of the Fifth Bay of Bengal Maritime Dialogue held at Cinnamon Grand, Colombo on May 20, former President Ranil Wickremesinghe delivered a compelling speech urging greater regional connectivity, particularly on the western side of the Bay of Bengal, which he said lags behind its eastern counterparts in infrastructure development for regional connectivity.
Hosted by the Pathfinder Foundation, the event brought together diplomats and maritime experts to discuss the geopolitical and economic future of the Bay of Bengal, a region poised to become a global economic powerhouse by 2050.
Wickremesinghe began by highlighting the shifting global trade landscape, referencing U.S. President Donald Trump’s announcement of reciprocal taxes, which he said could disrupt existing trade frameworks.
This story is from the May 22, 2025 edition of The Island.
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