International Monetary Fund (IMF) Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva will visit Sri Lanka next month to review the country’s economic reform program and express solidarity following recent natural disasters, IMF Asia and Pacific Department Director Krishna Srinivasan said during a mission to the island.
Srinivasan, leading one of the largest IMF delegations to visit Sri Lanka, said the upcoming visit aims to both acknowledge the progress under the IMF-supported program and directly support communities impacted by the catastrophe.
“She’ll be here both to look at the success of the program and to express the solidarity we have with you,” he told President Anura Kumara Dissanayake on Jan. 28.
This marks Srinivasan’s fourth visit to Sri Lanka and his first outside Colombo. He spent two days in areas beyond the capital, describing the experience as offering a “deeper, more human perspective” of the country.
“In many parts, I saw flooding. I saw roads which need to be repaired,” he said. “Our sympathies are with you and with the people of Sri Lanka for the lives lost and for the impact of the disaster.”
Srinivasan noted strong public appreciation for the government’s reform efforts, especially in governance, during his visits to local communities.
“There’s huge appreciation for what the government has done for the people,” he said.
The regional IMF meeting in Sri Lanka, involving representatives from across Asia, had been planned months earlier. While some suggested canceling the event after the disaster, Srinivasan said the decision was made to proceed as a gesture of support.
“We want to express our solidarity with the people of Sri Lanka,” he said. “We are with you. Our full support is with you.” (Newswire)