29 Oct 2026 - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
Sri Lanka’s diplomatic presence across the world is insufficient. Budgetary constraints triggered by the 2022 economic crisis have been a prominent reason for this. In addition, abrupt policy alterations with changes of government have led to differences in foreign policy focus from time to time. Sri Lanka was a leader in advocating the rights of the Global South, or developing countries, particularly in the 1950s, 1960s and the 1970s. Since then, the country has gradually lost its ability to stand firm in the pursuit of its interests. Soon after the war ended, Sri Lanka faced regular resolutions at the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC), sponsored by Western powers, namely the United States and the United Kingdom. The Government was then under pressure to secure the votes of like-minded countries to thwart such attempts. This turned out to be a turning point in Sri Lanka’s efforts to engage with Africa and Latin America. Sri Lanka also established missions in countries such as Uganda (later it was closed), Ethiopia and Seychelles on the African continent. Still, both Africa and Latin America remain relatively unexplored regions for Sri Lanka in terms of economic ties. However, in recent times, the current Government, led by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, with its past baggage of leftist rhetoric, has sounded being elated by the election of Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva for a fourth consecutive term. The President congratulated his counterpart in the Latin American region, describing the victory as a triumph over corruption, division and political misinformation. In a message posted on X, President Dissanayake said the victory demonstrated that people could not be misled by political dynasties or those who believed that power was greater than justice. He described Lula da Silva’s victory as historic and praised his leadership in advancing progress, extending his congratulations to the Brazilian leader. In response, in a post on X, the Brazilian President recalled his meeting with President Dissanayake in India in February this year and welcomed the opportunity to deepen relations between the two countries. “My dear @anuradisanayake, it was a pleasure to meet with you in India in February of this year,” Lula stated. It is diplomatically appropriate for a president to congratulate another head of state on being elected to office following a democratic election. It is even more sensible to seek to deepen ties with Brazil, since Sri Lanka should improve its relations with Latin America through countries such as Brazil to strengthen economic linkages. The Brazilian President’s response to his Sri Lankan counterpart offers grounds for optimism about the promotion of relations. The two countries held bilateral political consultations on March 20, 2026, and agreed to increase bilateral trade to US$1 billion by 2030. The Second Round of Bilateral Political Consultations between Sri Lanka and Brazil was held on March 20, 2026, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism in Colombo, marking an important step towards further strengthening the longstanding and friendly relations between the two countries. The meeting was co-chaired by Secretary to the Ministry Aruni Ranaraja and Ambassador Susan Kleebank, Secretary for Asia and the Pacific at Brazil’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The consultations provided an opportunity to review the progress achieved since the first round of bilateral political consultations held in 2022 and identify further areas for possible collaboration. During the discussions, while acknowledging the steady growth in economic cooperation, the two sides agreed to increase bilateral trade to US$1 billion by 2030. Both countries also emphasised the importance of broadening engagement in response to evolving global economic dynamics, according to a statement issued by the Ministry on March 20. However, when drafting a congratulatory message, one must be cautious, as each word carries symbolic significance. When President Dissanayake used words such as corruption, division and political misinformation, he implied that his counterpart’s rivals had engaged in such activities. Similarly, he said that people could not be misled by political dynasties or those who believed that power was greater than justice. These words amount to an attack on the opposition forces in that country. The local audience, particularly the NPP (National People’s Power) support base, may welcome President Dissanayake’s words. Internationally, however, they could have repercussions, since they amount to criticism of Brazil’s internal politics, which is unacceptable in diplomacy. The wording should merely recognise the achievement of the Brazilian leader without appearing to interfere in the domestic politics of that country. This is particularly relevant at a time when Sri Lanka is seeking better ties with the US. Despite its left-of-centre ideology, the Sri Lankan Government is striving hard to balance its relations with the US, obviously for practical reasons. The Sri Lankan economy is closely linked to the US, its largest export destination. Defence relations have also improved, with numerous port calls by US naval ships. Recently, the US announced an investment of US$17 million for the modernisation of Colombo Port. Be that as it may, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who was re-elected to a historic fourth term last Sunday, defeated US President Donald Trump’s ally, Senator Flávio Bolsonaro, who vowed not to accept the results and said he would mount a legal challenge, according to CNN. The 80-year-old leftist leader won more than 51% of the vote, securing a runoff victory that bucked a broader rightward political shift across Latin America and came after a campaign dominated by concerns over the cost of living, crime and corruption, according to CNN. Bolsonaro, who trailed Lula by about 4.4 million votes, said his team would challenge the result following the Supreme Court’s last-minute ruling to extend voting by two hours. In handling foreign affairs, the Government should exercise caution, as these messages convey symbolic meaning that leave room for negative interpretations. The current Sri Lankan Government is represented by a party that is leftist or left of centre. It has, however, sent mixed signals. It has embraced economic reforms but is not ready for rapid deregulation. The restructuring of state-owned enterprises has received scant attention from the Government. Alternatively, the process has been lackadaisical. Yet, the party’s core continues to advocate leftist views. As such, the political victory in Brazil is good news for its supporters if they really intend to put their fiery rhetoric into practice one day, when the time is opportune. However, world politics is different today. Political ideologies have become less relevant in unravelling the complexities of international relations.
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