Annual Report 2005 - Institute of Policy Studies of Sri Lanka

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IPS Research Themes__Post Tsunami Reconstruction & Disaster Managementof National Disaster Management. The report received wide media publicity, and was also one of the mostdownloaded publications from the IPS website.High Quality Surveys Highlighting the Views of Tsunami Affected HouseholdsImmediately after the tsunami, IPS in collaboration with the Department of Census and Statistics and otherresearch agencies highlighted the role of good quality, objective survey work, which is sensitive to the stateof the tsunami affected households. This was applied in a large assessment which IPS undertook for theWorld Bank on “Listening to Those Who Lost: Survey and Analysis of Rebuilding and Relocation of Tsunamiaffected Households in Sri Lanka”. The objective of this study was to analyse the views of tsunami survivorson post tsunami relocation and rebuilding decisions including key housing and land issues. The study reportwas launched on 12 August, with a press briefing at the IPS premises which received wide media attention.The findings of the study was also presented to All International Federations of the Red Cross.The IPS was an active member of the steering group which contributed to the government and donor reporton “Tsunami: Building Back Better? Sri Lanka Achievements, Challenges and Way Forward” published in2005. IPS also provided assistance to the government in the design of micro credit programmes in the posttsunami context.Designing an Effective All-hazards Early Warning System for Sri LankaThis research was done in partnership with LIRNEasia, a regional ICT policy and regulation capacity buildingentity based in Sri Lanka, and the Vanguard Centre for Disaster Preparedness following the tsunamidisaster.The objective of this research was to raise the awareness on key and urgent policy issues relating tothe development of a National Early Warning Mechanism. The output of the research included the following:• A concept paper titled: “National Early Warning System: Sri Lanka – a Participatory Concept Paper forthe Design of an Effective All-Hazards Warning System”, authored by Rohan Samarajiva & AyeshaZainudeen (LIRNEasia), Malathy Knight-John (IPS) and Peter Anderson (Simon Fraser University, Canada).• Presentations of the concept paper to a Presidential Commission set up to inquire into matters relating tothe Tsunami of December 2004 on 15 March and to the private sector at a workshop organized by theCeylon Chamber of Commerce on 17 February.• A TV panel interview on ALERT SRI LANKA, a YATV talk show aired on ETV on 19 and 20 of February.Research PersonnelPaul Steele, Dushni Weerakoon, Nisha Arunatilake, Malathy Knight-John,Asha Gunawardena and Dinusha Dharmaratne12__________ Annual Report 2005
IPS Research ThemesInternational Economic PolicyThe increasingly closer integration of the global economy has made it imperative that developing countriesface the task of adapting the liberalization and globalization process to their own situations anddevelopment needs. It requires that they improve their domestictrade and financial regimes and equally importantly, they mustalso review the role they are playing in multilateral decisionmaking and work out approaches and actions that will enhancetheir cohesion and effectiveness on the international scene.The plethora of multilateral, regional and bilateral tradeliberalization measures in the pipeline will require policymakersto develop proposals relating to the implementation ofagreements already reached, to new issues that have subsequentlyemerged, or to any new negotiating rounds proposed for the future.The IPS has emerged as a key player in assessing and formulatingpolicies with regard to Sri Lanka’s external trade strategies basedon its on-going research programme in the arena of internationaleconomics. To this end, the work programme identifies principalissues for further research in areas considered critical to maximizethe potential benefits of closer integration in the world economy.The key areas of on-going research include issues related to SriLanka’s participation in multilateral negotiations of the WorldTrade Organization (WTO), bilateral and regional tradeagreements, impact of the phase-out of the Multi FibreArrangement (MFA) on the apparel sector and external sectorcompetitiveness.HighlightsWTO Doha Round NegotiationsThe IPS was the partner organization responsibe for preparingthe background paper on the area of trade facilitation for a studyon “WTO Doha Round and South Asia” which was initiated bythe Consumer Unity and Trust Society (CUTS), India. This studywas to be implemented in five South Asian countries, viz., India,Sri Lanka, Nepal, Pakistan and Bangladesh and focuses on fivekey elements of the July Framework Agreement of the WTO:agriculture, non-agricultural market access, developmentdimensions, services and trade facilitation.As a part of the effort to engage a wider debate and stimulate adialogue in the run up to the WTO Sixth Ministerial meeting ofDecember 2005, the IPS organized a workshop on “WTO DohaRound and South Asia: Linking Civil Society with TradePublications in 2005Kelegama, S., “Regionalism Debate:Re-positioning SAFTA” (withRatnakar Adhikari), South AsianJournal, Vol. 7Kelegama, S., “WTO and RegionalTrade Arrangements’ in BibekDebroy and Mohammed Saquib(eds.), WTO at Ten: Looking Back toLook Beyond, Konark, IndiaKelegama, S., “Emerging Scenarioin North-South BTAs of SouthAsia”, Trade Insight, Vol. No. 3Kelegama, S., “South Asia after theQuota System: Impact of The MFAPhase-Out” edited Volume, OctoberKelegama, S., “Trade in Textile andApparel in South Asia” (withBilesha Weeraratne) in CENTAD(ed.), South Asian Year Book of Tradeand Development 2005–MainstreamingDevelopment in Trade Negotiations:Run-Up Hong Kong, CENTAD, NewDelhi, IndiaKelegama, S. “Ready-MadeGarment Industry in Sri Lanka:Preparing to Face the GlobalChallenges”, Asia-Pacific Trade andInvestment Review, Vol. 1, No. 1,ESCAP, UN, AprilWeerakoon, D., and J. Thennakoon,“Trade Facilitation: A South AsianPerspective”, Trade Insight, Vol. 1.No. 4Weerakoon, D., J. Thennakoon andB. Weeraratne, “MultilateralAgreement on Trade Facilitation:An Important but Complex Agendafor South Asia”, in South AsianPositions in the WTO Doha Round: InSearch of a True Development Agenda,Jaipur: CUTS International13__________ Annual Report 2005
Page 3 and 4: IPS Mission & Goals, Board of Gover
Page 5: Executive Director’s Overview2005
Page 8 and 9: IPS PeopleResearch StaffDushni Weer
Page 10 and 11: IPS PeopleAdministrative & Support
Page 13: IPS Research ThemesPost Tsunami Rec
Page 21: IPS Research ThemesLabour, Employme
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Page 36 and 37: Linkages & NetworkingThe IPS has es
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Page 60 and 61: FinancialsIncome & Expenditure Stat
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Financials__Notes to the Accounts a
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Two Decades at a Glance 1985 -20051
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Annual Report 2005 - Institute of Policy Studies of Sri Lanka

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