President Ranil Wickremesinghe met with USAID Administrator, Samantha Power, on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York.

During the discussions the President expressed his appreciation for the support extended by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to Sri Lanka during the financial crisis.

The President presented a short briefing on the progress with the IMF program, while highlighting the Government’s commitment to its successful conclusion, the statement said.

The efforts made by the Sri Lankan Government in improving the efficiency and effectiveness of the welfare programs through the introduction of the ‘Aswesuma’ initiative were illustrated during the meeting.

Samantha Power stated that USAID would continue to support Sri Lanka’s recovery efforts, while also making available necessary expertise.

Regarding the developments following the enactment of the anti-corruption legislation, President Ranil Wickremesinghe noted that the Anti-Corruption Commission is currently grappling with the task of recruiting staff with formal training.

Given this circumstance, it is anticipated that it will require an additional year to realize the anticipated outcomes of the anti-corruption law adoption, making the timeline for achievement approximately two years.

The President stated that the entire government machinery of his government has been fully adapted to the implementation of the anti-corruption policy, and requested for the necessary support to be provided for the completion of these activities as soon as possible.

--PMD