Promoting Regional Connectivity and Integrated Supply Chains: BRISL’s Voice at the 2025 Bo’ao Forum for Asia
At the 2025 Bo’ao Forum for Asia (BFA) Annual Conference, Yasiru Ranaraja, Founding Director of the BRISL Organisation, delivered a compelling address on the critical theme of “Maintaining Global Supply Chain Stability: The Role of Connectivity.” His intervention, delivered on 27 March during a dedicated sub-forum, echoed across the international policy community amid rising global trade tensions and a shifting geopolitical landscape.Ranaraja, representing BRISL, articulated a strategic vision for how the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI)—a framework linking over 140 countries—can stabilise and revitalise global supply chains. Highlighting Asia’s pivotal role in the emerging economic order, he stressed that connectivity—both physical and digital—remains at the heart of resilient, decentralised trade networks.
He identified key Sri Lankan infrastructure projects, such as Colombo Port City, Colombo Port, and Hambantota Port, as critical nodes in South Asia’s connectivity and trade infrastructure. Developed under the BRI framework, these ports were showcased as regional anchors fostering economic integration, trade diversification, and sustainable logistics. Ranaraja noted that BRISL has consistently promoted these projects as blueprints for collaborative development, offering scalable models for other Global South nations.
“In this era of connectivity, every country must recognise both its strengths and weaknesses,” Ranaraja stated. He urged the international community to close the gaps in Asia’s fragmented supply chain system by enhancing digital logistics, investing in infrastructure, and increasing transparency in trade and transit processes.
He also emphasized that the BRISL vision goes beyond ports and shipping. It supports green development, technological innovation, and inclusive policy frameworks aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), while promoting multilateral cooperation over isolationist trade practices.
Ranaraja’s remarks received strong resonance among participants, including Roman Sklyar, First Deputy Prime Minister of Kazakhstan, who echoed the call for expanding regional transportation and digital platforms. Through his advocacy, Yasiru Ranaraja and BRISL positioned Sri Lanka—and the broader BRI region—as essential contributors to shaping a future-proof, inclusive global trade ecosystem.
Most Ven. Dr. Kirinde Assaji Nayaka Thera: Preserving Spiritual Heritage in a Digital Age
Another powerful voice from Sri Lanka was that of Most Ven. Dr. Kirinde Assaji Nayaka Thera, Chief Incumbent of the Gangaramaya Temple in Colombo, who addressed the sub-forum on “Religious Harmony and Mutual Learning Among Civilisations” on 28 March. His talk centered around the Digitalisation Project of Buddhist Classics, which seeks to safeguard sacred knowledge by integrating spiritual tradition with modern technological advancements. He spoke passionately about the use of AI and blockchain in digitising ancient scriptures, including the Bay Leaf Sutra, currently housed in Sri Lanka. “For more than two millennia, Buddhist scriptures have been meticulously preserved by the Sangha and scholars,” he noted. “However, with the advancement of technology, it is now possible to open a new chapter in protecting the Dharma.”
The Gangaramaya Temple, under his leadership, is actively involved in restoring ancient palm-leaf manuscripts containing Pali texts and ancient Sinhala medicine. This project is emblematic of a broader mission to ensure that timeless wisdom transcends physical boundaries and is accessible to future generations in a digital format.
Asia at the Crossroads: A Forum for a Shared Global Future
Held from 25 to 28 March in Bo’ao, Hainan Province, the 2025 Bo’ao Forum brought together a distinguished gathering of Heads of State, business leaders, scholars, and cultural icons under the theme “Asia in the Changing World: Towards a Shared Future.” Now in its 24th year, the Forum reaffirmed its role as a platform for inclusive dialogue and multilateral action on global challenges—from AI governance to religious preservation, from trade cooperation to sustainability.
Key attendees included:
Sonexay Siphandone, Prime Minister of Laos
Muhammad Yunus, Chief Adviser of Bangladesh and Nobel Laureate
Aren B. Palik, Vice President of the Federated States of Micronesia
Roman Sklyar, First Deputy Prime Minister of Kazakhstan
Alexei Overchuk, Deputy Prime Minister of Russia
Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono, Coordinating Minister of Indonesia
Their collective presence reflected the urgency of global cooperation in uncertain times. Through the voices of thought leaders like Yasiru Ranaraja and Most Ven. Dr. Assaji Nayaka Thera, the Bo’ao Forum 2025 illuminated how nations, both large and small, can contribute meaningfully to a more sustainable, connected, and spiritually enriched global future.
