President Anura Kumara Dissanayake chaired a special discussion at the Presidential Secretariat today (06) on Sri Lanka’s preparations for its third mutual evaluation on compliance with international standards on Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT).
The evaluation is scheduled to take place from October 26 to November 6, 2026, with the meeting focusing on progress made in implementing relevant recommendations and the associated action plan at ministerial and institutional levels.
President Dissanayake stressed the need to identify the risks faced by Sri Lanka and introduce the necessary legal and institutional reforms to address them, the President’s Media Division said in a statement.
He said such measures should not be regarded as steps taken due to pressure from external parties, but as essential reforms required to strengthen the country’s institutions and financial system.
The Financial Intelligence Unit of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka is coordinating the evaluation process. Officials briefed the President on recommendations concerning both technical compliance and the effectiveness of measures taken by Sri Lanka.
The discussion also covered the operationalisation of the Proceeds of Crime Act, implementation of the Companies Act, and proposed amendments to the Trusts Ordinance.
President Dissanayake called on the Government and relevant institutions to work with full commitment during the next three weeks to address shortcomings and delays in implementing the recommendations, the PMD noted.
He also stressed the importance of maintaining continuous discussions with the relevant evaluation teams on completed work, institutional reports and emerging issues, while ensuring adequate preparations for the assessment.
The President said successfully completing the third mutual evaluation would be an important national priority and would contribute to strengthening Sri Lanka’s credibility within the international financial system.
He called for the active participation of both public and private sector institutions in the process and thanked the Central Bank and other stakeholders for their efforts in preparing for the evaluation.
The meeting was attended by senior officials including Central Bank Governor Dr. P. Nandalal Weerasinghe, Attorney General Parinda Ranasinghe, Inspector General of Police Priyantha Weerasooriya, several ministry secretaries, senior Central Bank officials, the Head of the Financial Intelligence Unit Dr. Subhani Keerthiratne and former Supreme Court Judge Buwaneka Aluwihare, among others.
