Former Finance Minister Ali Sabry has credited Indian Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman with changing the tables during a crucial meeting with International Monetary Fund (IMF) representatives on Sri Lanka’s economic crisis.
Sharing his views on Impactstories_podcast, Ali Sabry said that during his tenure as Finance Minister, he was tasked with negotiating with the IMF leadership with regard to Sri Lanka’s economic crisis.
“When I went to Washington, I had a meeting with the regional directors and they were very negative about Sri Lanka. They said 16 times this has happened. I was disappointed. You know, for the first time we are trying to tell different things. They were not willing to listen. I thought they lacked empathy,” he said.
Ali Sabry revealed that he was supposed to meet IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva along with IMF Deputy Managing Director Gita Gopinath at 03.00 pm, before which he met Indian Finance MInister Nirmala Sitharaman.
“In between this meeting something happened. I had lunch with Nirmala Sitharaman. She asked me, Minister, how did the meeting go? I said not that great. I said they were kind of reluctant and had a lot of issues. She said don’t worry, I will meet Kristalina Georgieva before you. I will put a word,” he said.
Ali Sabry went on to note that when he went in for the meeting with the IMF Leadership, the tone had completely changed and was in favour of Sri Lanka.
“When I went for the meeting with the IMF Managing Director, which is one of the most crucial meetings for me, the tone, the approach, the environment, everything had changed. Kristalina Georgieva told me that she had just finished a meeting with Nirmala Sitharaman, and 70-80% of the meeting was not about India, but Sri Lanka, he said.
Ali Sabry added that this became the foundation of Sri Lanka’s economic recovery.
Watch : https://www.instagram.com/reels/DcbSBMpOtcl/ (Newswire)