– Former Foreign Minister Ali Sabry has backed the Sri Lankan government’s decision to impose a temporary 50% surcharge on vehicle import duties, calling it a “prudent and timely measure” to protect the country’s fragile foreign exchange reserves amid growing global uncertainty.

In a statement shared on social media, Sabry said he had warned since the beginning of the ongoing global conflicts that the war could continue longer than anticipated by the United States and Israel, increasing pressure on small import-dependent economies like Sri Lanka.

He also welcomed the government’s decision to exempt Letters of Credit (LCs) opened on or before May 15, 2026, describing it as a “sensible and fair safeguard” that would protect importers from retrospective complications and unnecessary administrative burdens.

Sabry stressed that Sri Lanka’s economic recovery remains vulnerable to disruptions in energy markets, trade routes, tourism, investor confidence, and external financing caused by international conflicts.

“Small and import-dependent economies like ours pay a disproportionately heavy price for wars and geopolitical confrontations.

Ultimately, this is precisely why Sri Lanka and other like-minded nations must continue to urge all parties involved in conflicts to pursue peaceful negotiations, diplomacy, and resolution through dialogue rather than aggression, escalation, and invasions. The economic and human costs of war extend far beyond borders and are often borne most painfully by ordinary people in vulnerable nations, Sabry said.