ADB Strengthens Capacity of Sri Lankan Judges on Commercial Dispute Resolution
From January to May 2026, ADB’s Law and Policy Reform Program, in partnership with the Sri Lanka Judges’ Institute (SLJI), trained more than 110 district court judges and magistrates to strengthen commercial dispute resolution critical in Sri Lanka.
The program equipped district court judges with practical skills in judicial settlement in Sri Lanka’s legal context, core skills for settlement facilitation and ethical roles of judges. Participants also honed their mediation capabilities through hands-on, facilitated roleplays.
This initiative builds on earlier ADB-SJJI collaboration in July 2025, which trained 25 high court judges and 49 judicial officers in commercial arbitration and mediation.
These capacity building efforts come at a critical time. Recent legal reforms have significantly expanded the role of mediation and court-facilitated settlement in Sri Lanka’s justice system. The country has also reaffirmed its commitment to mediation by ratifying the Singapore Convention on Mediation.
Together, these reforms underscore the importance of a well-equipped judiciary to deliver predictable, consistent, and efficient commercial dispute resolution, an essential foundation for private sector confidence and economic growth.
