INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
The United States believes all countries have an opportunity to stand with Sri Lanka at this vulnerable moment, USAID Administrator Samantha
Power said joining an exclusive interview with Indeewari Amuwatte for At Hyde Park on Ada Derana.Speaking further, The USAID chief said the
United States is hopeful that the People’s Republic of China and that all other creditors would work with Sri Lanka in helping support the
island nation on its road out of this crisis.She also said the United States hopes that the creditors would put the interests of Sri Lanka,
and its people, “who are incredibly dynamic, incredibly resilient, incredibly capable of advancing their own economic interests, but where
there has been a lot of mismanagement, a lot of corruption, some very poor decisions made over many, many years, but to unlock the potential
of those people, those of us who have leverage and have an opportunity to offer support, we can’t conceive of why a country wouldn’t
step forward and show that solidarity, at this hour of such great need.”Power noted that all players in the international system should
wish to see countries becoming more independent and not more dependent.Speaking on Sri Lanka’s progress with regard to the negotiations
with the IMF and potential negotiations with the creditors, Power said it is important to acknowledge that, first of all, the staff level
agreement with the IMF needs to translate into a full fledge agreement.“But when that agreement is secured, that’s actually when a lot
of the hard work begins,” the USAID chief said, adding that it’s one thing to agree on a set of reforms, it’s another thing to
implement those reforms, and to try to rationalize the economy, and balance the books, and get the export-import balance more right sized
than it has been in the past.“And so, there are going to be some very difficult sacrifices asked of the Sri Lankan people, and I don’t
know how broad-based the understanding is that simply signing an agreement is just the beginning.” She stated that the agreement is
actually just a piece of paper and that it’s the reforms and cutting down on some of the more wasteful programs, “but even wasteful
programs have beneficiaries, and there are winners and they are losers.” “And so, I think, this is why it is so important to keep an
eye on the legitimacy of the entire enterprise, and do everything, all authorities to do everything in their power, to be transparent and
candid about the difficult choices ahead,” she stated. “I think, the President has tried to do that – to level with the Sri Lankan
people – but at every step of the way to be open about the sacrifices that are demanded, and at every step of the way, I hope for
countries like the United States, to again, be standing with the Sri Lankan people, because it’s going to feel lonely, as those tough
economic reforms kick in.”" “And that show of solidarity from the outside world I hope will be a source of resources in some cases, but
also a source of hope that there is light on the other side,” Samantha Power added.Read the full transcript of the interview
below:INDEEWARI AMUWATTE: I’m joining you tonight from the American Center in Colombo, where I’m joined by the American USAID
Administrator who’s visiting Sri Lanka briefly
Samantha Power, thank you very much for your time
So much has changed in Sri Lanka since your last visit, what do you observe here? And what brings you at this juncture?ADMINISTRATOR POWER:
Well normally, I visit Sri Lanka, or in the past, I have visited in circumstances where there have been political fights about this or that
There have been economic challenges for sure, over the years
Obviously, issues related to human rights violations associated with the conflicts that brought me to Sri Lanka when I was President
Obama’s Human Rights Adviser, when I was UN Ambassador, but unfortunately, this trip really is motivated by the gravity of Sri Lanka’s
And the privilege that I have in running USAID, of being able to open up the toolbox and say, okay with our resources, which are finite, but
what can we do to support the people of this country at this really, really vulnerable time? And, you know, it’s a particularly difficult
time, because it’s sort of, it’s the end of the beginning
It’s moving out of one phase into a new set of economic reforms, political reforms as well, which need to accompany the economic
And this is where people are already tired
They’ve already spent months, maybe out on the streets, some of them, involved in protests, but almost everybody having some period where
they were walking or riding bicycles, where they had been accustomed to taking buses or driving themselves
And, this is a period where there’s still great sacrifice that lies ahead in order for the country to get back on a more stable economic
And so, President Biden asked me to come and to see up close what more the United States can do, and we have come and have identified
fertilizer for farmers as one area where – with the infusion of $40 million in support for fertilizer and other agricultural and
necessities – we can try to help the farmers that are hoping to have a better yield in this next planting season than they have in the one
And so, that’s very important, but there’s also an acute humanitarian need of the kind that I’m not accustomed to seeing in this
country, except in a time of conflict
And that is, where we have parents who just literally wake up in the morning, or don’t go to bed at night, because all they can think
about is how am I going to feed my kids
And so, today I announced an additional $20 million in emergency humanitarian support, to try to help mothers be able to feed their families
and meet those emergency needs for the most vulnerable for that sector, that right now, isn’t being reached with state assistance, and
that haven’t been able to identify any other means, really, in keeping families afloat
So, those are just two ways of trying to chip in
Also, to remind Sri Lankans, there’s an awful lot of solidarity out there with them
The crisis here has generated global headlines, there is a lot of soul searching and a lot of questions in other countries about how we can
avoid those scenarios for ourselves
So, others are learning, unfortunately, the hard lessons that Sri Lanka is learning as well
But, I think that this is a time where if we could combine more global solidarity with the Sri Lankan people with domestic solidarity, where
political divisions can give way to some unity to get through this – this really difficult time and get these reforms on track
Then, one can see Sri Lanka getting to the other side.AMUWATTE: Your visit to Sri Lanka comes following the IMF staff level agreement that
You’ve met the Sri Lankan President today, and the assistance you’ve pledged to, in addition to $40 million U.S
dollars yesterday, also comes on top of USAID’s assistance pledge in June
But in terms of reforms, what have you discussed with the President? And what more should Sri Lanka do, today, in order to overcome the
economic challenges that we’re talking about?ADMINISTRATOR POWER: Well, I think the President has made clear his intention of moving
forward with a set of reforms that were agreed to with the IMF
And I think, the focus now – on his part and on the part of his team – is also staffing up to be in a position to execute those reforms,
very, very challenging, none of them are easy. I know that had I come even a month ago, I would have seen a very different picture in terms
of the queues at the petrol stations
I met mothers today, in fact, who had to bring their kids with them to line up because, of course, they have no childcare for their kids
And so, you have kids sleeping at petrol stations for days on end
So, I don’t have to tell you, even seeing the QR code and the organization now, the fuel rationing policy that at least decreases the
sense of chaos as well, that maybe Sri Lankans felt, but also outside investors who want to attract tourists and others
So, kind of tactical reforms like that, these deeper economic structural reforms we discussed
And then, we stressed, the industrial general and myself, the critical importance of keeping the political and governance reform agenda on
And, this is very, very difficult, because there’s so many things that need doing, there is so much to clean up
There’s so much to recover from
There’s so much mobilization of debt restructuring or external resource mobilization that is needed, that it can be tempting to just focus
on the economic. But, I know from talking with the private sector, both here and internationally, that investors are also looking for
They’re looking to see the anti-corruption reforms moving forward
There are still, as you know, years of questions about transitional justice, and previous human rights violations, to start to see progress
The Prevention of the Terrorism Act, every visit I have made here for almost 15 years, has involved the discussion, with one of the previous
Administrations, about the Prevention of Terrorism Act – finally getting that repealed, as the President has committed to doing and
putting, again, the country on a more stable, legal foundation that is more in accordance with international standards
We talked about all of that, but that is a very big agenda
And making sure that, again, as the government now gets constituted, and as the ministries get filled out, and as responsibilities get
allocated, we at USAID, are looking to see where we can provide the technical support and technical capacity
And on these priority reforms, that the President and the people, are hoping will unlock more of Sri Lanka’s economic potential.AMUWATTE:
You just spoke about human rights, and we are also speaking at a time when Sri Lanka is preparing to face the Geneva Sessions, and there is
concern raised about economic crimes on top of violations against human rights
At the same time, in Sri Lanka there is concern, and there are questions, why Sri Lanka is not allowed to do what Sri Lanka can, to allow
Sri Lanka to be able to present with what Sri Lanka can without our own means? How do you react to this?ADMINISTRATOR POWER: Well, I think
maybe stepping back from Sri Lanka, you know, the reason that when the United Nations was founded, Eleanor Roosevelt and a team of
international specialists from all around the world, came together and crafted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, was the core
recognition that, after the Second World War, especially, that governments can’t always be trusted to respect the rights of their people,
and that the people in society sometimes need to be able to have recourse to universal rights, that they may not be able to enjoy their own
And so, that’s how international law came into existence
That’s why we have a United Nations
That’s why we have a United Nations Human Rights Council
And the goal of these instruments and the goal of these bodies is not to meddle in somebody else’s country or dictate what should be done
It is to say, here are the universal human rights
The people in this case who have suffered human rights violations, may not feel that they have power within their own society, but they can
feel empowered by the knowledge that these international instruments exist, and that this is the same as, what happens, actually in the
United States is when our national laws are not delivering, you will see people appealing. For example, for a long time, we didn’t have a
right to health care and a lot of the debate about health care, people say, well, actually, in other countries, and in these international
instruments, there’s a right to health care
So, how come we don’t have health insurance? And so, in countries around the world, it’s a set of standards against which we are all
And I think, our hope over many years, and I’ve been active in engaging, again, Sri Lankans of different governments, for a long time on
accountability and transitional justice, the hope has always been that the momentum for looking into past allegations of human rights
violations, the momentum for tracking down missing persons, and giving families who’ve lost loved ones closure, that momentum would come
There would never have been a Human Rights Council resolution in the first place but for the anguish and pain of the families and the
support of civil society, and some politicians, in order to help justice be done
But every time something is set up here, it seems like something else gets in the way of the kind of implementation or the kind of follow
through that those families have been seeking for a long time
So to be clear, it’s very much within Sri Lanka’s sovereign control to shape the form of transitional justice that takes hold here, and
what the Human Rights Council offers is a whole host of technical expertise about how transitional justice has been managed in other
And our hope, at some point, is that that would be seen as a resource
And it has been, at different times
There have been periods where it really looked like, for example, the Office of Missing Persons was going to get traction and resources
There have been times when it looked like a truth commission really would be set up and there’d be some momentum behind it
And certainly the new Administration has made promises in those directions
And so, in Geneva, again, there are the standards, the sort of – the keeper of the Human Rights flame, is the Human Rights Council, and
then there is the expertise for when there is the kind of political will that is needed to meet the aspirations of people who underwent that
violence.AMUWATTE: In 2015, you did mention of this progress made
But right now, as the U.S
Treasury also announced that they will support Sri Lanka to restructure debt and discuss with potential creditors who will potentially help
Sri Lanka come out of this situation
What effort will USAID put into this? Again, another question along with that is there has been a lot of skepticism about U.S
funding in Sri Lanka, whether there are any strings attached to it
So, will there be any strings attached going forward?ADMINISTRATOR POWER: I think a distinguishing feature of U.S
assistance in Sri Lanka is that we really look to see how our assistance can empower our partners, Sri Lankans on the ground
And I can say just from meeting with the farmers yesterday to whom we’re providing the fertilizer, our goal is for them to have bigger
yields in the next rice planting and harvesting season, full stop
Our goal is not for them to have bigger yields so that we can take a cut of the yields, or so that we can then say hey, we gave you that
fertilizer money now you better do this for us
That’s really not the American approach
And, I think that when you talk about debt and USAID, I think what we’re focused on now, because we work at the grassroots level, or try
to, is there are a lot of Sri Lankans now who are carrying debt that, had the economy continue to function as it had in years past – maybe
not perfectly, but nonetheless, functionally – they would have been able to, for example, produce the kinds of crop that would allow them
to pay back the people that they borrowed in order to buy the fertilizer in order to be able to plant and nourish the crop in the first
But now with the economic collapse, it’s not clear how a lot of Sri Lankans are going to be able to repay their debt
And so, one of the things that we are looking at as USAID, is at the micro level – with small farmers, with 10 farmers, with people who
borrow just to be able to pay school fees to get their kids to school – what can we do in support of those families. But additionally,
since it’s incredibly important that the Sri Lankan government be providing the support to the most vulnerable, and certainly we heard
from the President today, an intention to address food security and malnutrition in the most vulnerable but we can help with program design,
drawing on other social safety net programs that we have supported in other parts of the world
Again, even though the civil service is very large in Sri Lanka, making sure that there is the human capacity to implement these programs,
and to do so in a way where the intended beneficiaries are reached
And where assistance is not deployed, because of some political favor, out of some political preference, but it’s deployed on the basis of
That is how we try to operate as USAID
I’m not saying that we have been perfect over the years in Sri Lanka or in any other country
But, we are always on the ground trying to listen and learn and think about, if a program is not producing its desired effects, how do we
adjust it? If, and this is true now, if we designed a program before the economic crisis, how do we now need to think about adjusting the
programming because circumstances, as you said, have changed so much? But, our goal at USAID is for there to be no USAID in Sri Lanka
Because nobody wants assistance or handouts, really, they may need them, and so they want them in the sense that they need some support to
feed their families in a crisis
But what every individual that I’ve met in my travels around the world, and here, wants is sovereignty, self-sufficiency, dignity
And I think, the ethos of USAID’s programming is to think through how can we use our limited resources to catalyze that kind of economic
growth, those kinds of economic opportunities, where the next planting season, farmers get themselves back in the cycle that they have been
in before, of being able to buy the same supply, the same fertilizer to get the yield and to make the progress they need to make.AMUWATTE:
And finally, the China factor has been a massive concern for the U.S
and India as well, speaking about sustainability, or even when we talk about Sri Lanka’s reliance on it
So, how concerned are you now, after your conversations with Sri Lankan parties, and also in terms of IMF negotiations going forward,
especially in terms of Sri Lanka’s economic stability and security?ADMINISTRATOR POWER: Well, I think all players in the international
system should wish to see countries becoming more independent and not more dependent
And so, again, I think that is a really important pillar of the approach that President Biden is taking, as we think about what support we
can offer, how does it enhance independence rather than dependence? Debt, unfortunately, is a form of dependence, because you are reliant on
the people from whom you have borrowed
In moments like this, especially when you’re not able to pay back your debt in the near term, you’re reliant on them making adjustments,
That’s not a good feeling
For any of us who’ve incurred debt in our private lives, and it’s certainly not a good feeling for a nation that finds itself suffering
significant debt distress
So, we believe all countries have an opportunity to stand with Sri Lanka at this vulnerable moment
And we believe that Sri Lankans will remember, probably for generations, those of us who are creditors
is a creditor, as well, and a member of the Paris Club
Were we willing to roll up our sleeves and work with Sri Lanka in helping support the country on its road out of this crisis? And we would
hope that the People’s Republic of China and that all other creditors would do the same, putting the interests of this wonderful country,
and the people of this wonderful country, who are incredibly dynamic, incredibly resilient, incredibly capable of advancing their own
economic interests, but where there has been a lot of mismanagement, a lot of corruption, some very poor decisions made over many, many
years, but to unlock the potential of those people, those of us who have leverage and have an opportunity to offer support, we can’t
conceive of why a country wouldn’t step forward and show that solidarity, at this hour of such great need.AMUWATTE: In your understanding,
how far has Sri Lanka come in solving this issue? And especially with the IMF, and in terms of negotiations, potential negotiations with the
creditors? What more do we need to do?ADMINISTRATOR POWER: Well, I mean, I do think that it is important to acknowledge that, first of all,
the staff level agreement with the IMF needs to translate into a full fledge agreement, but when that agreement is secured, that’s
actually when a lot of the hard work begins
Because it’s one thing to agree on a set of reforms, it’s another thing to implement those reforms, and to try to rationalize the
economy, and balance the books, and get the export-import balance more right sized than it has been in the past
And so, there are going to be some very difficult sacrifices asked of the Sri Lankan people, and I don’t know how broad-based the
understanding is that simply signing an agreement is just the beginning
That the agreement is actually just a piece of paper
It’s the reforms and cutting down on some of the more wasteful programs, but even wasteful programs have beneficiaries, and there are
winners and they are losers
And so, I think, this is why it is so important to keep an eye on the legitimacy of the entire enterprise, and do everything, all
authorities to do everything in their power, to be transparent and candid about the difficult choices ahead
I think, the President has tried to do that – to level with the Sri Lankan people – but at every step of the way to be open about the
sacrifices that are demanded, and at every step of the way, I hope for countries like the United States, to again, be standing with the Sri
Lankan people, because it’s going to feel lonely, as those tough economic reforms kick in
And that show of solidarity from the outside world I hope will be a source of resources in some cases, but also a source of hope that there
is light on the other side.MS
AMUWATTE: Thank you very much for your time
We have with us Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development Samantha Power joining us at Hyde Park tonight, a
former journalist and author of award winning books and a Pulitzer Prize winner, in Colombo, talking about Sri Lanka’s crisis and the way
This article first appeared/also appeared in https://adaderana.lk
