Ranil Wickremesinghe and Al Gore: Similar journeys but contrasting destinies

President Ranil Wickremesinghe had the opportunity to meet his one-time counterpart, the former US Vice President Al Gore last week on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum. The encounter would have been a memorable occasion for both of them, as their association goes back a long way.

Many are unaware that the agreement signed between the Ex-US Vice President and the then Sri Lankan Premier for more cordial relationships between the two States during the latter’s visit to Washington in 1993, led to the introduction of the Internet to Sri Lanka two years later. The two septuagenarians share cherished legacies in terms of contributing towards the advancement of information technology throughout their political careers.

The 45th US Vice President sponsored numerous laws that funded the expansion of the Internet to a greater public access during his stint at the US Congress. Gore is also considered as one of the first politicians in Washington to recognise that the Internet’s influence could reach beyond academia to propel educational as well as economic growth. He is credited for introducing the High-Performance Computing and Communications Act of 1991, which helped create the Information Superhighway in the States. Gore was inducted into the Internet Hall of Fame in 2012 for his dedication to the growth of the Internet.

Likewise, the President shares an admirable association with the evolution of the island’s ICT industry. In an overwhelming endorsement of Wickremesinghe’s contribution to the progress of the country’s ICT sector, Chanuka Wattegama, a renowned ICT commentator, once described the former to Sri Lanka’s Rajiv Gandhi – the erstwhile Indian Premier who is considered as the pioneer of India’s digital boom. As Industries and Science and Technology Minister, Wickremesinghe was instrumental in connecting Sri Lanka to the international submarine cable SEA-ME-WE. As Prime Minister in 2002, he launched the e-Sri Lanka program – an ambitious initiative to leapfrog Sri Lanka into the digital sphere. Continuing his legacy in digital technology, since assuming presidency, the UNP Leader has embarked on establishing a National Centre for Artificial Intelligence to ensure economic and social transformation based on the latest trends in digital technology.

Meanwhile, since leaving politics, Gore has become a prominent environmental activist apart from being a highly sought-after speaker on climate change in international forums. An Inconvenient Truth – a 2006 American documentary movie which won two academy awards – presents in film form an illustrated speech on climate change by him, aimed at educating the viewers about the repercussions of global warming. Acknowledgement for his advocacy on climate change reached its zenith when Gore and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change were jointly awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2007.

In contemporary history, no Sri Lankan Head of State has focussed on climate change as extensively as Wickremesinghe. He unveiled the Sri Lankan Climate Prosperity Plan during COP27 Summit in 2022, outlining a roadmap to attract foreign investments to boost economic growth and employment, while accelerating climate adaptation and bringing down the country’s greenhouse gas emissions. In a landmark move, the veteran political leader launched the International Climate Change University last December in a bid to address the pressing challenges posed by climate change and the need for robust institutional frameworks.

Nevertheless, in terms of striving for the Number One, the American was not as tenacious as the Sri Lankan. Gore narrowly lost his bid for the White House 23 years ago. Due to the controversial results in Florida during the 2000 US Election, he missed the coveted post by a mere 537 votes. Everyone believes that if a state-wide recount had been allowed, he could have secured the Presidency. Although Gore quit politics afterwards, Wickremesinghe – who would have become President if the Northern Tamil voters had not been prevented from voting by the LTTE in the 2005 election – at last reached the top of the greasy pole under peculiar circumstances 17 years later.