Sri Lanka's state-owned enterprises (SOEs) are a major hindrance to the country’s economic prosperity. The state's footprints extend across all major industries - telecommunications, banking, ports, petroleum, and power generation. With over 400 SOEs spread across 33 sectors and employing roughly 250,000 workers, they form an inefficient, bloated bureaucracy. The IMF's Governance Diagnostic Assessment flags SOEs as being high-risk for corruption, plagued by weak management, shoddy oversight, rigged procurement processes, political interference, and a lack of transparency. Sri Lanka cannot afford the status quo. Decisive action to privatise SOEs is essential to break free from the cycle of inefficiency and corruption, and unlock sustainable economic growth.
Here is the link to the Advocata SOE Briefing Note in English on
Getting the State Out of Business: The Compelling Case for Privatisation of State-Owned Businesses
Here is the link to the Advocata SOE Briefing Note in Sinhala
Here is the link to the Advocata SOE Briefing Note in Tamil
