The Limits and Opportunities of the UN’s Influence: the Example of Sri Lanka's Past, Present, and Future

A guest lecture by Neil Buhne, Former Regional Director, Asia-Pacific for the United Nations Development Coordination Office.

Abstract:

At independence in 1948, Ceylon (later Sri Lanka) was felt by most to have the brightest future of any country in Asia. This bright future did not materialize, and though peoples’ lives slowly improved, a wave of natural, social, economic, and political crises, meant the country was continuously just coping, and not thriving. Recent events deepened these crises beyond almost anyone’s expectations. The UN links to Sri Lanka are long and deep. The lecture will examine the influence the United Nations has had on Sri Lanka, where it had impact and where it did not and why; and the opportunities there are now to better support Sri Lankans to come out stronger from the current crisis.