Sri Lanka, Oct. 9 -- The World Bank, in its latest Sri Lanka Development Update report, has warned that the 20% tariff imposed by the United States on Sri Lankan exports could lead to a significant decline in the country's garment exports and place the jobs of low-skilled labourers at risk.

The World Bank estimates that the 20% tariff could cause Sri Lanka's annual ready-made garment exports to the US to drop by approximately 12%.

While the report notes that the nature of Sri Lanka's garment exports-such as undergarments and high-quality apparel-gives it a relative resilience compared to some competitors, the impact of the tariff is expected to be directly felt in both employment and export revenue.

The report also highlights the fact ...