Latest

Sri Lanka to discuss shape of $2.9 billion IMF deal during Oct meetings in Washington

The country plans to start the third review of its bailout, potentially unlocking a fourth tranche of $337 million

Sri Lanka to discuss shape of $2.9 billion IMF deal during Oct meetings in Washington

Drivers push auto rickshaws in a line to buy petrol from a fuel station, amid Sri Lanka's economic crisis, in Colombo, Sri Lanka, July 29, 2022

Reuters

An IMF team will visit Colombo this week as a 'courtesy call'

The 2024 annual meetings of the IMF and the World Bank are scheduled for Oct 21-26

New president Anura Kumara Dissanayake reassured investors that the bailout program will continue despite concerns over potential changes

Sri Lanka will have detailed talks with the IMF on the framework of a $2.9 billion bailout program on the sidelines of the lender's annual meetings in Washington later this month, the country's cabinet spokesperson said on Tuesday.

The delegation to the meetings in Washington will be led by the country's central bank governor, treasury secretary and financial advisers to new president Anura Kumara Dissanayake, minister Vijitha Herath told reporters at a news conference.

Dissanayake said Sri Lanka will immediately engage with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for the third review of its bailout program, the approval of which will see the disbursement of a fourth tranche of about $337 million.

An IMF team will be on a three-day visit to Colombo from Wednesday to meet with Dissanayake and his team to discuss latest economic developments and reforms under Sri Lanka's economic program supported by the IMF, a spokesperson for the lender said.

"We are of the view that an evaluation needs to be conducted on the IMF program but that will not be done with the delegation visiting this week," Herath said, adding that the IMF delegation was making a "courtesy call" this week.

The 2024 annual meetings of the IMF and the World Bank is scheduled to take place during Oct. 21-26.

Sri Lanka's newly elected President Anura Kumara Dissanayake addresses a gathering after taking his oath of office at the Presidential Secretariat, in Colombo, Sri Lanka, September 23, 2024 Reuters

Millions of Sri Lankans voted for leftist leader Dissanayake in the debt-ridden island nation's presidential election in September - the first since its economy buckled in 2022 - putting faith in his graft-fighting pledge and vow to bolster a fragile economic recovery.

Investors worry that Dissanayake's desire to revisit the terms of the IMF bailout could delay future disbursements. But the fears have been somewhat allayed by the new president who said last week that the program would move forward under his administration.

Comments

See what people are discussing

More from World

Bangladesh court bans broadcasts of ousted ex-PM's 'hate speech'

Bangladesh court bans broadcasts of ousted ex-PM's 'hate speech'

Hasina was indicted for the killing of protesters during the August revolution that ousted her.