Analysis
Port City Colombo bets on becoming South Asia’s financial hub
The reclaimed district promises a new business centre — if it can attract the firms to fill it.
Quick Summary
On land reclaimed from the sea beside the capital, Port City Colombo is rising as the most ambitious bet on Sri Lanka’s economic future: a purpose-built financial district intended to rival regional hubs.
Backers envisage banks, fund managers and technology firms drawn by a special economic zone with its own rules and incentives.
Promise versus delivery
Sceptics point out that gleaming towers are easier to build than to fill, and that success will depend on policy stability and investor confidence as much as on concrete and glass.
Economics Editor
Aisha writes on macroeconomics, the rupee and Sri Lanka’s recovery from default.
