Gamani Corea Foundation (GCF) was set up by the late Dr Gamani Corea on February 10, 2000, as a foundation to take further his passion for development globally, with particular emphasis on Sri Lanka. The GCF is an autonomous non-profit institute that aims to promote development-related economic research, while being open to research from other social sciences, especially from a multi-disciplinary perspective.

Its mission is to contribute to the socio-economic development of Sri Lanka and other low-income and middle-income countries through informed, independent and high-quality research. GCF perceives research as being more than a mere academic exercise; it is primarily a catalyst for the tangible socio-economic transformation of countries and societies.

Sri Lanka Economic Association
https://www.slea.lk/

The Gamani Corea Foundation (GCF), in collaboration with the Sri Lanka Economic Association (SLEA), held the third seminar in their joint seminar series on June 11, 2026, at the GCF headquarters. The seminar was based on the book Policy Challenges of Globalization in Sri Lanka, authored by Dr. Sarath Rajapatirana, former Economic Adviser to the President of Sri Lanka and Chair of the Academic Programme at Advocata Institute, who delivered the keynote address. The session provided a platform for a broad discussion on free trade, the impact of global economic and geopolitical turmoil on the Sri Lankan economy, and the importance of strengthening Sri Lanka’s political and trade relations with both developed and developing countries beyond its conventional partners. The discussion also examined the policy challenges Sri Lanka has faced in the past and is likely to encounter in the future, particularly in the formulation and implementation of economic reforms aimed at enhancing the country’s integration into the global economy. The seminar highlighted the need for consistent and forward-looking policies to enable Sri Lanka to benefit from global economic integration while effectively managing emerging challenges.

The Gamani Corea Foundation and the Sri Lanka Economic Association jointly organized a public lecture titled “Sri Lanka’s Current Macroeconomic Policy Directions in the Context of Global Volatility” on 8 May 2026 at the Lighthouse Auditorium. The keynote address was delivered by Dr. Chandranath Amarasekara, who presented an overview of Sri Lanka’s macroeconomic conditions, examining where the economy stood during the recent crisis period and its current trajectory toward stabilization and recovery. He also discussed prevailing global economic conditions and outlined the country’s current macroeconomic policy directions in the face of global volatility. The lecture was followed by a panel discussion moderated by Nisthar Cassim, Editor and CEO of the Daily FT. The panel featured Prof. O.G. Dayarathna Banda, Senior Professor in Economics at the University of Peradeniya and Director General of the National Institute of Education; Manjula de Silva, Honorary Board Director of the Gamani Corea Foundation and former CEO of the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce; and Arani Rodrigo, Head of the Business Intelligence Unit of the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce.

The awards ceremony of the GCF Research Awards 2025–2026 Part II was held on 8 May 2026 at the Gamani Corea Foundation. The event marked the second set of awards presented under the current award cycle. Four research teams received research grants in recognition of their promising research proposals. The awards are intended to support research that contributes to Sri Lanka’s economic and social development through evidence-based policy insights and innovative ideas.