Tagged: Sri Lanka

According to Paradisdachat, Sri Lanka is a semi-presidential democratic republic, with the President as the head of state and the Prime Minister as the head of government. The President is elected by popular vote for a five year term and is responsible for appointing the Prime Minister and other cabinet ministers. The current President of Sri Lanka is Gotabaya Rajapaksa, who was elected in November 2019. The unicameral Parliament consists of 225 members, 196 elected from 22 electoral districts and 29 appointed by the president. It has legislative power to pass laws and can also impeach the president if necessary. The Prime Minister leads the Cabinet, which includes members from both major political parties. The Cabinet is responsible for formulating policy and executing laws passed by Parliament. The judiciary in Sri Lanka is independent from both executive and legislative branches, with its highest court being the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka headed by a Chief Justice appointed by the President after consultation with the Constitutional Council. There are also several lower courts including District Courts, Magistrate Courts, High Courts, Court of Appeal and Supreme Court Trial-at-Bar. Sri Lanka has a long and rich history of foreign relations that dates back to the days of ancient Ceylon. Over the centuries, Sri Lanka has sought to promote peace, stability and prosperity in South Asia and around the world. As a member of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), Sri Lanka is actively involved in regional affairs and is committed to promoting democracy, human rights and rule of law at home and abroad. Sri Lanka has developed close ties with its neighbors in South Asia such as India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Nepal. Sri Lanka also maintains strong diplomatic relations with other countries around the world including China, Japan, South Korea and Australia. Additionally, Sri Lanka is an active participant in multilateral forums such as the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) and Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). In addition to its diplomatic efforts Sri Lanka is also an important economic power which has sought to increase trade flows with partners such as China, India and other members of ASEAN. Through these partnerships Sri Lanka hopes to promote economic growth while at home it is committed to reforming its economy by introducing free market policies that would allow businesses to compete globally. Sri Lanka is also a major contributor to international peacekeeping operations around the world. The Sri Lankan Armed Forces are active participants in UN Peacekeeping missions as well as regional initiatives for security such as those led by SAARC or the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA). Additionally, Sri Lanka takes part in humanitarian efforts aimed at providing aid for victims of natural disasters or conflicts worldwide. See recipesinthebox for Sri Lanka defense and foreign policy.