COLOMBO, July 2 -- Sri Lanka should view its large overseas diaspora as a strategic economic asset and introduce policies to encourage greater investment and engagement from expatriate communities, former State Minister of Finance Eran Wickramaratne said on Wednesday (July 1).

Speaking at the 159th anniversary celebrations of the Canadian Confederation, organized by the Sri Lanka-Canada Business Council in Colombo, Wickramaratne said Sri Lanka's diaspora, particularly in countries such as Canada, represented a significant source of capital, expertise and international business networks that could help accelerate the country's economic recovery.

"Many people see our diaspora only as a consequence of migration and brain drain. I see it as...