The Hon. Ravi Karunanayake

¶ 01 Current Status of Trade Negotiations Between Sri Lanka and the United States

¶ 02 Hon. Speaker, first, a happy New Year to all.

¶ 03 I raise this Question under Standing Order 27(2) to the Hon. Prime Minister, who is not here. We submit Questions on time; you ensure order; yet no response follows. Nonetheless:

¶ 04 Statements by US President Donald Trump indicate an intention to conclude outstanding trade disputes and finalize bilateral trade agreements, including with Sri Lanka, by March 2026. This gains urgency after Cyclone “Ditwah,” which devastated agriculture, industry, infrastructure and exports, affecting our economic resilience and negotiating position.

¶ 05 Parliament needs clarity, transparency and assurance that the national interest is safeguarded. I refer to the Daily Mirror online of 18 November 2025 quoting Hon. Vijitha Herath: “Sri Lanka still to come to agreement with U.S. on reciprocal tariffs: Minister.”

¶ 06 Accordingly, I ask:

¶ 07 1. What is the current status of negotiations with the US? Are there timelines, draft frameworks or commitments aligned to March 2026?

¶ 08 2. What is the scope—tariffs only, or also services, investment, digital trade, labour and other strategic obligations?

¶ 09 3. Who are the US counterparts, and which Sri Lankan officials and institutions, with Cabinet or legal authority, are engaging?

¶ 10 4. Has Parliament been informed or consulted at any stage, and will any final agreement be submitted for debate and approval before signing?

¶ 11 5. After “Ditwah,” has the Government sought special concessions, preferential access or relief-based tariff treatment from the US?

¶ 12 Such concessions were given to Cambodia, Thailand and Laos upon agreements; Sri Lanka must seize similar advantages.

¶ 13 6. Given countries reportedly enjoying zero or highly preferential US access—Thailand, Cambodia, Laos—has Sri Lanka sought comparable treatment? If not, why?

¶ 14 7. With new US tariffs intended, has Sri Lanka agreed to measures to reduce the bilateral trade imbalance? What were our exports to and imports from the US for 2023, 2024, 2025 and to date, comparatively?

¶ 15 8. What safeguards are being negotiated for vulnerable sectors—agriculture, SMEs, apparel, fisheries—and has an economic and fiscal impact assessment been made available to Parliament?

¶ 16 Thank you.