CEPA marks 25 years with global poverty and development conference

The Centre for Poverty Analysis (CEPA) marked its 25th anniversary with the inauguration of the International Conference on “Poverty and Development in Times of Crisis” held at Cinnamon Grand Colombo on May 7 and 8, 2026.

The conference, organised in collaboration with Asian Development Bank and ODI Global

, brought together policymakers, researchers, academics, development partners, practitioners and civil society representatives from Sri Lanka and overseas.

The two-day event focused on how societies can protect vulnerable communities, rebuild resilience and promote inclusive development amid repeated economic, social, climate and geopolitical crises.

Vince Cable, Distinguished Fellow of ODI Global, said the SAARC region continues to record the lowest level of intra-regional trade and stressed the need for countries in the region to improve economic cooperation.

The inauguration featured the traditional lighting of the oil lamp, a presentation titled “CEPA at a Glance”, and addresses by CEPA Chairperson Nelun Gunasekera, Asian Development Bank Country Director Shannon Cowlin, and CEPA Executive Director Sirimal Abeyratne.

The event also included the felicitation of CEPA’s founding and long serving members, a documentary screening and the keynote address delivered by Central Bank Deputy Governor Chandranath Amarasekara.

One of the main plenary sessions on the opening day focused on “Challenges of Trade and Economic Reforms for Growth in Developing Countries in an Uncertain Global Era”, curated jointly by ODI Global and CEPA.

The second day featured discussions on inequality in Sri Lanka, national strategies and donor partnerships aimed at promoting economic growth and poverty reduction.

The conference concluded by emphasising the importance of collaboration between researchers, policymakers and development partners. Organisers said the event highlighted the importance of evidence-based policymaking, institutional reform, inclusive growth and resilient social protection systems in ensuring vulnerable communities are not left behind during Sri Lanka’s recovery process.