Sri Lanka has been ranked fourth among the world’s fastest-improving countries for investor relations practices in the Institute of International Finance’s 2026 assessment, as the government works to rebuild market confidence after its sovereign debt restructuring.
The IIF’s Investor Relations and Debt Transparency Report 2026: The Transparency Dividend found that Sri Lanka’s overall Investor Relations Country Score rose to 43.67 out of 50 in 2026, from 37.33 in 2025. That places the country in the top quartile of the 57 emerging markets and developing economies assessed against international best practice.
The 6.3-point gain was the fourth-largest improvement recorded, behind Vietnam, Belize and Mozambique. By comparison, the survey average rose only marginally, to 37 from 36.1 a year earlier, the Daily FT reported.
Sri Lanka also moved up sharply on debt transparency, becoming the fifth-highest improver in 2026 — up from 19th among score improvers in 2025. The Finance and Planning Ministry attributed the gain to stronger disclosure of debt-related information, improved investor communication mechanisms and greater clarity around public finances.
The country was additionally identified as one of the leading improvers in environmental, social and governance (ESG) data and policy dissemination, alongside Thailand, Ethiopia, El Salvador, Belize and Nigeria. Cameroon, Argentina, Malaysia and Azerbaijan saw their ESG transparency scores decline, according to NewsFirst.
The IIF is a global association of some 400 financial institutions across 60 countries, including banks and investment firms. Its annual assessment measures how effectively sovereign borrowers communicate with investors and disclose debt data.
The improvement follows the launch of Sri Lanka’s formal Investor Relations Programme under the Ministry of Finance in December 2024. The ranking marks a shift in the country’s international financial profile as it continues its recovery from the 2022 economic crisis, though it measures disclosure and communication practices rather than creditworthiness itself.
