IMF delegation meets Sri Lanka President Anura Kumara Dissanayake

A delegation of high-level representatives from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), currently in Sri Lanka, met with Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake today (October 3).

The Presidential Media Division stated that the meeting took place at the Presidential Secretariat.

Accordingly, senior IMF representatives, including Krishna Srinivasan, Director of the Asia and Pacific Department, and Mr. Peter Breuer, Chief of the Senior Mission Team, held discussions with the President.

Central Bank Governor Dr. P. Nandalal Weerasinghe, Treasury Secretary Mahinda Siriwardana, Dr. Harshana Suriyapperuma, and senior Presidential advisors Professor Anil Jayantha and Duminda Hulangamuwa were also present at the meeting.

During the discussions, a review was conducted on the progress of the ongoing program between the IMF and Sri Lanka.

The President reaffirmed the government’s broad policy agreement with the objectives of the program, emphasizing the importance of achieving these goals through alternative methods that ease the burden on the public.

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake also highlighted that the government plans to provide relief to those affected by high VAT and income taxes.

The IMF representatives appreciated the current President’s commitment to meeting the targets of the program and agreed to discuss the alternative approaches proposed by the Sri Lankan government.

Additionally, attention was drawn to the initiation of the third review of the IMF-Sri Lanka program, and despite potential delays due to the upcoming general election, President Anura Kumara Dissanayake assured the IMF that efforts would be made to continue the process uninterrupted.