http://www.priu.gov.lk/news_update/Current_Affairs/ca201112/201112312011_a_year_of_achievements.htm


2011 – A year of achievements

2011 aws a tough year for the world with regime changes and financial crises, but it was a rewarding year for Sri Lanka in many ways, with many great successes and achievements.
The year was remarkable in consolidating the hard won peace. The number of Internally Displaced people to be resettled has come down to 7, 163 from nearly 300,000. The last remaining group of over 700 former LTTE cadres out of 11,900 who surrendered to Security Forces during the last stages of Humanitarian Operation will be reintegrated into society by mid-2012.
The government has shown commitment and enthusiasm towards healing the wounds of conflict and consolidating reconciliation among communities in the country. The report of Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC) appointed by President Mahinda Rajapaksa was tabled in Parliament in December.
The government had steered Sri Lanka to maintain a steady growth rate throughout the year, recording an 8.4 percent Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth in the third quarter of 2011.
According to the figures released by the Department of Census and Statistics, the economic output of Sri Lanka as measured by GDP for Q3 (July-September), of 2011 at constant (2002) prices is estimated at Rs. 748,423 million as against Rs. 690,160 million in the Q3 of 2010.
Sri Lanka has been ranked among the biggest gainers in the world in the '2011 Index of Economic Freedom' conducted by The Wall Street Journal and The Heritage Foundation, Washington's pre-eminent think tank.
Tourism sector recorded remarkable achievements in 2011. National Geographic named Sri Lanka among 'Best Trips for 2012' destinations, and the country welcomed 800,000th tourist this December.
There is also now much better access throughout the country with a fast developing road network. The country's first expressway connecting Kottawa and Galle was declared open cutting down travel time between Colombo and Galle, the two major cities in the West and South of the country by more than half. Construction of the Colombo – Kandy expressway will commence next year. The Government has taken steps to widen and reconstruct 46 bridges on the national road network.
Sri Lanka remains an important member of the international community. Addressing the 66th Session of the UN on Sept 23 President Mahinda Rajapaksa said whilst the clash of ideas, opinions and values continues we have clearly to recognize that dialogue, deliberation and consensus offer only the viable means for resolving differences. The might of powerful nations cannot prevail against justice and fair play. Sri Lanka was also present at the biennial meeting of the Commonwealth Heads of Government in Australia, the SAARC Summit at the Maldives and the Bali Economic Forum in Indonesia.
In Geneva, the Sri Lanka continued to make a strong and effective case against attempts to call for an international probe into allegations of war crimes and violations of International Humanitarian Law. This success was despite the concerted action against Sri Lanka by the pro-LTTE Tamil groups in the West, the heavy propaganda of media institutions such as Channel 4, and continuing efforts of Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and the International Crisis Group to keep Sri Lanka in focus among the western nations to serve the interests of the “Tamil “Diaspora”. However, there were successes in the legal action taken against LTTE organizers in the Netherlands and France, continuing action against the LTTE in the USA and India’s refusal to give in to regional pressure to lift the ban on the LTTE.
With the dawn of peace, the IT/BPO sector in the country showed signs of being one of the potential growth sector with the entry of more foreign projects. IT/BPO recorded 20 percent annual growth rate in 2011. According to Business Monitor International (BMI) of UK, Sri Lanka is one of the fastest growing IT markets in the region.
Cairn Lanka engaged in oil exploration off Gulf of Mannar announced the discovery of natural gas in two wells. The company announced it is ready enter the second phase of oil exploration in Sri Lanka upon the successful completion of the first phase.
As the year drew to a close the country saw the opening of the first Centre for the Performing Arts, the Nelum Pokuna Mahinda Rajapaksa Theatre, which was a gift to the people of Sri Lanka from China, emphasizing the new opportunities for cultural renaissance in the country.