President urges IMF to strike a balance in Sri Lanka’s economic recovery program

The government of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has reaffirmed its readiness to collaborate with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to advance Sri Lanka’s economic recovery within the context of the mandate. 

Senior Mission Chief Peter Breuer and the IMF delegation met with President Dissanayake and key ministers of the newly-formed government at the Presidential Secretariat today (18), to discuss the next steps in the IMF program, the President’s Media Division (PMD) reported. 

The IMF team congratulated the President and his government on their decisive electoral victory, expressing optimism about the collaboration.

President Dissanayake, in turn, underscored his administration’s responsibility to uphold the people’s mandate, emphasizing that the success of the IMF program hinges on rebuilding public trust in governance.

Highlighting his government’s commitment to addressing the pressing needs of the people, President Dissanayake urged the IMF to maintain a balanced approach that considers the hardships faced by citizens.

He assured that under his leadership, social spending allocations would be utilized effectively, with priority given to combating child poverty and malnutrition and providing better support for differently abled individuals, the PMD said.

The IMF delegation noted that allocations for social spending had not been fully utilized previously, prompting President Dissanayake to pledge proactive measures to ensure efficient allocation and utilization of resources.

Governance and anti-corruption were also central to the discussions. The President reiterated his administration’s commitment to the fight against corruption, a key component of the mandate granted by the people, the statement said.

He assured the IMF team that his government would implement stringent laws to enhance the legislative and institutional structures to uphold transparency and accountability.

The meeting marked a positive step forward in the collaboration between the government and the IMF, laying the groundwork for a coordinated effort toward economic recovery and long-term stability, according to the PMD.

The President in his capacity as the Minister of Finance, Minister of Labour Prof. Anil Jayantha Fernando and MP Harshana Sooriyapperuma together with representatives of the Ministry of Finance participated in this meeting.

--PMD