Speaking on the theme ‘Building back better from crises through regional cooperation in Asia and the Pacific’ Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa at the inauguration of the 77
th Session of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) outlined Sri Lanka’s successful approach in controlling the COVID-19 and called for renewed “South-South” cooperation, to recover from the pandemic. The session was held virtually in Bangkok from 26 to 29 April 2012.
Prime Minister Rajapaksa stated that even during the pandemic, economic and export sector continued to function, tourism restarted in January and the Central Bank reduced policy rates and implemented several concessionary refinancing programs in Sri Lanka.