On April 12, 2022, Sri Lanka defaulted on its debt for the first time since independence. In the months before and after the default Sri Lanka faced record inflation, and shortages of fuel, food, and other essential goods. The Aragalaya protest movement that rose in response to the crisis forced former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to step down and flee the country. In March 2023, the IMF approved a $3 billion four-year Extended Fund Facility arrangement for Sri Lanka - the country’s 17th IMF program - which has stabilized the economy. The Sri Lankan government is in the process of implementing reforms that could start a process of sustainable growth, but major economic and political risks remain.
Bradley Gardner, a U.S. diplomat working in Sri Lanka, will discuss how Sri Lanka got to this point and what could come next.
Event moderated by Jeanne Marecek ISAS Visiting Scholar and Senior Research Professor and Professor Emerita of Psychology at Swarthmore College.
SPEAKER BIO
Bradley Gardner is a U.S. diplomat working in Sri Lanka. Previously, he served in Slovakia and Nepal, and covered Latvia from Washington D.C. Before joining the State Department he worked as a journalist and economic researcher in China and the Czech Republic. His book “China’s Great Migration: How the Poor Built a Prosperous Nation,” was endorsed by Nobel Laureate Christopher Pissardes, and won the Benjamin Franklin Award and Ippy Gold Medal
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PARKING INFORMATION
Please note that parking is not always easily available in Berkeley. Take public transportation if possible or arrive early to secure your spot.
Event is FREE and OPEN to the public.
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If you require an accommodation for effective communication (ASL interpreting/CART captioning, alternative media formats, etc.) or information about campus mobility access features in order to fully participate in this event, please contact Puneeta Kala at pkala@berkeley.edu with as much advance notice as possible and at least 7-10 days in advance of the event.
