President Anura Kumara Dissanayake met International Monetary Fund (IMF) Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva and her delegation at the Presidential Secretariat for discussions during their three-day visit to Sri Lanka, the President’s Media Division said.
During the meeting, President Dissanayake expressed appreciation for the IMF’s contribution toward stabilizing Sri Lanka’s economy, noting that improved stability had enabled the country to respond effectively to the impact of Cyclone Ditwah.
He said the government had ensured that neither political considerations nor economic interests hindered the national response to the disaster.
The President said the government’s next priority is to ensure that the benefits of recent economic progress are passed on to the public. He noted that rural low-income communities were among the worst affected by the cyclone and said extensive programs have been designed to support their economic recovery and human capital development.
He also said the government looks forward to continued IMF support in advancing these efforts.
Georgieva acknowledged that the IMF had extended emergency financial assistance to Sri Lanka for disaster relief and commended the government’s response to affected communities, as well as its planned approach to rebuilding.
The meeting reaffirmed bilateral cooperation between Sri Lanka and the IMF in promoting economic stability and growth, the statement said. (Newswire)