Sri Lankan politician Harini Amarasuriya was sworn in as the country’s new Prime Minister on Tuesday, following the appointment of Anura Kumara Dissanayake as the ninth Executive President of Sri Lanka. Amarasuriya, a prominent figure from the National People’s Power (NPP) alliance, takes over from Dinesh Gunawardena, who stepped down after the defeat of former President Ranil Wickremesinghe in the presidential elections.
Wickremesinghe, who had been in office since July 2022, finished third in the recent polls, with opposition leader Sajith Premadasa emerging as the runner-up. In addition to her role as Prime Minister, Amarasuriya has been entrusted with multiple key portfolios, including Justice, Industries, Science and Technology, Health, and Investment, positioning her as a pivotal figure in shaping the country’s future.
Speaking exclusively with NewsX, when asked, ‘Many believe that China played a dubious role in Sri Lanka’s crisis. Do you agree with this view?’
There has been a perception that the Rajapaksa family was more pro-China than previous Sri Lankan governments. While there was indeed a tilt towards China, the actual debt from China isn’t significantly higher compared to loans from other sources.
However, Sri Lanka must return to a non-aligned, independent foreign policy. Rajapaksa’s failure in managing foreign relations, especially with regional neighbors like India, has caused significant problems.
Harini Amarasuriya, born on March 6, 1970, is the 16th Prime Minister of Sri Lanka and the third woman to hold the position, following in the footsteps of Sirimavo Bandaranaike and Chandrika Kumaratunga. She is the first female premier in nearly 25 years, with the last being Bandaranaike, whose term ended in 2000. Amarasuriya became a Member of Parliament in 2020 through the National People’s Power (NPP) national list. A university lecturer and activist by profession, her academic background includes a BA in Sociology, an MA in Applied Anthropology and Development Studies, and a PhD in Social Anthropology from the University of Edinburgh. According to the Parliament’s website, she was present for 269 days and absent for 120 days during the ninth Parliament. Notably, she is the first academician-turned-politician to serve as Prime Minister in Sri Lanka.
Also Read: Harini Amarasuriya Becomes Sri Lanka’s First Female Prime Minister in Over Two Decades
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