A meeting between President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and representatives of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), who arrived in Sri Lanka to assess the damage caused by Cyclone Ditwah, was held this morning (28) at the Presidential Secretariat.
Emphasising that Sri Lanka is currently moving in the right economic direction despite facing a severe disaster, the IMF representatives stated that there would be no changes to the agreement under the Extended Fund Facility programme with Sri Lanka, and discussions on releasing the sixth tranche will resume in March.
Both parties also agreed to continue implementing the Extended Fund Facility programme without making any changes to the existing agreement.
The IMF delegation, which arrived in the country on the 22nd, travelled across the island to observe first-hand the damage caused by Cyclone Ditwah and met with communities affected by its impact.
The representatives expressed their regret over the disaster, which occurred at a time when Sri Lanka’s economy was gradually recovering, and over the severe hardships faced by the people as a result. Nevertheless, they commended the Government’s swift actions to provide relief to affected communities, develop infrastructure and restore normalcy to people’s lives while confronting the challenges posed by the disaster. They further noted that many members of the public they had spoken to had expressed appreciation for the manner in which the Government had responded, describing it as a significant achievement.
The IMF representatives also pointed out that the strong fiscal discipline maintained by the Sri Lankan Government over the past year had been a key factor in addressing this challenge. They noted that the Government’s ability to present a supplementary estimate of Rs. 500 billion was made possible by a surplus in the Treasury, describing this as a highly commendable development.
President Anura Kumara Dissanayake noted that the disaster had most severely affected poor rural communities, with rural infrastructure and livelihoods suffering extensive damage. He stated that, accordingly, Rs. 500 billion had been allocated to protect rural livelihoods and restore income-generating activities.
The President further emphasised that this measure does not in any way signify a departure from proper financial management or fiscal responsibility.
He stated that the Government’s objective is to ensure that the gains reflected in macroeconomic indicators genuinely reach ordinary citizens and that priority is being given to rebuilding the lives of people who have endured prolonged hardship due to events such as the Easter Sunday attacks and the recent economic collapse. The President added that all future Government programmes have been planned in line with this direction and that Sri Lanka expects the continued support of the International Monetary Fund in this regard.
Representing the Government of Sri Lanka at the meeting were Minister of Labour and Deputy Minister of Economic Development Dr. Anil Jayantha Fernando, Secretary to the Ministry of Finance Dr. Harshana Suriyapperuma, Governor of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka Dr. Nandalal Weerasinghe, Senior Economic Adviser to the President Duminda Hulangamuwa, along with several other officials.
Representing the International Monetary Fund were Director of the Asia and Pacific Department Krishna Srinivasan, Deputy Director for Asia and the Pacific Sanjaya Panth, Mission Chief Evan Papageorgiou, and Resident Representative Martha Woldemichael, among others. (Newswire)