May 21, Colombo (LNW): Sri Lankan Prime Minister Dr Harini Amarasuriya has delivered a keynote address at the 2026 Annual Lecture organised by the Oxford School of Global and Area Studies (OSGA), urging policymakers to place people’s lived realities at the heart of development efforts.
The event took place on Tuesday, 19 May, at St Antony’s College, University of Oxford, attracting students, academics and policy researchers from across the institution. Her lecture, titled The Politics of Development: Sri Lanka and Beyond, explored the complex relationship between governance, economic recovery and social justice in modern democracies.
Speaking to a packed audience, Dr Amarasuriya argued that development should not be measured solely through economic indicators or policy frameworks, but also through the everyday experiences of ordinary citizens. She said nations emerging from economic and political instability often face difficult choices between ideal reforms and practical governance.
Drawing on Sri Lanka’s recent challenges, the Prime Minister reflected on how countries navigating recovery must also confront deep-rooted inequality, institutional weaknesses and public distrust. She stressed that meaningful progress depends on creating systems that remain accountable to the people they serve.
A significant portion of her speech focused on the role of women in politics and public life. Dr Amarasuriya noted that more women are entering grassroots activism and leadership positions in Sri Lanka, although longstanding cultural and political barriers continue to limit equal representation. She highlighted the need for structural reforms that create lasting opportunities for female participation in decision-making.
The Prime Minister also addressed the economic value of unpaid care work, arguing that traditional economic models frequently overlook the contributions made by women within households and communities. She maintained that sustainable growth should go beyond financial recovery and prioritise social dignity, fairness and public welfare.
Reflecting on her own background as an academic, activist and social anthropologist, Dr Amarasuriya discussed the difficulty of transforming public movements into durable policy change. She observed that lasting reform requires persistence, negotiation and sustained civic engagement rather than short-term political momentum.
The lecture concluded with an extended question-and-answer session covering democratic accountability, institutional reform, governance and Sri Lanka’s path towards economic stability.
Professor Diego Sanchez-Ancochea, Head of OSGA, praised the Prime Minister’s remarks, describing the lecture as a thoughtful examination of the links between politics and development, enriched by both academic insight and practical leadership experience.
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