JICA eager to resume Japan-funded development projects in Sri Lanka - State Minister Semasinghe

State Minister of Finance Shehan Semasinghe says he engaged with global leaders to discuss Sri Lanka’s priorities and explored opportunities for collaboration to further the progress that Sri Lanka has made towards economic recovery and sustainability.

He stated this in a Twitter message, marking the end of the 2023 Spring Meetings of the World Bank Group and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in Washington DC.

“End of a very significant week for #SriLanka at @IMFNews @WorldBank #2023SpringMeetings. Engaged with global leaders to discuss Sri Lanka’s priorities and explored opportunities for collaboration to further the progress we have made towards economic recovery & sustainability,” he tweeted.

Meanwhile on the sidelines of the 2023 Spring Meetings, State Minister Semasinghe has held talks with the President of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), Jin Liqun and discussed how AIIB and Sri Lanka could work together closely in financing sustainable infrastructure development. 

During the discussion, he has assured that AIIB will support Sri Lanka to overcome the current economic crisis, according to the State Minister.

Semasinghe, accompanied by Central Bank Governor Dr. Nandalal Weerasinghe and Treasury Secretary Mahinda Siriwardana has also met with Kentaro Ogata, Deputy Vice Minister for International Affairs of Japan, where Mr. Ogata has recalled the long history of friendship between Sri Lanka and Japan. 

State Minister Semasinghe, taking to Twitter, said that the Japan envoy reaffirmed Japan’s priority to assist Sri Lanka in the debt negotiation process.

The Sri Lankan delegation who had a cordial meeting with Tatiana Rosito, Deputy Minister of Finance of Brazil, to discuss Sri Lanka’s progress in implementing economic reforms and debt negotiations has obtained the reaffirmation of Brazil’s utmost support for Sri Lanka’s rapid recovery.

“Had a cordial meeting with Tatiana Rosito, Deputy Minister of Finance of Brazil, to discuss Sri Lanka’s progress in implementing economic reforms and debt negotiations. Deputy Minister expressed Brazil’s utmost support for Sri Lanka’s rapid recovery”, Semasinghe mentioned in a Tweet.

Furthermore, the State Minister also stated that he met with Mr. William Roos, Co-Chair of the Paris Club Secretariat. 

During the meeting, the delegations have held talks on the progress made thus far on the debt restructuring process, and the important role played by the Paris Club in the relevant process, State Minister Semasinghe highlighted.

Moreover, Imoto Sachiko, JICA’s Senior VP for South Asia has reiterated JICA’s commitment to supporting Sri Lanka’s economic recovery when she met the Sri Lankan envoy on the sidelines of the 2023 Spring Meetings in Washington DC.

During the meeting, Ms. Imoto Sachiko has claimed that the JICA eagerly awaits to resume the Japan-funded development projects in Sri Lanka.