President assures IMF reforms will stay on course, insists recovery must benefit people

Wednesday, 1 July 2026 00:25 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake yesterday reaffirmed the Government’s commitment to completing Sri Lanka’s IMF-supported reform program, while insisting that economic stabilisation must ultimately translate into tangible improvements in people’s living standards.

The assurance was given during a meeting at the Presidential Secretariat with an International Monetary Fund (IMF) delegation led by Deputy Director of the Asia and Pacific Department Sonali Jain-Chandra, which concluded a week-long visit to Colombo to review recent macroeconomic developments and progress under the Extended Fund Facility (EFF).

According to the President’s Media Division, President Dissanayake told the delegation that the Government remained fully committed to implementing the IMF-backed reform agenda, not because of external pressure, but because it viewed the reforms as essential to restoring economic stability and placing the country on a stronger long-term growth path.

While emphasising that macroeconomic stabilisation remains a key priority, the President said the Government’s broader objective was to ensure that the benefits of the recovery are felt directly by the public through improved livelihoods and higher living standards.

He acknowledged that the implementation of reforms had been complicated by a series of external shocks, including US tariffs, Cyclone Ditwah and the conflict in the Middle East, which disrupted economic activity and delayed progress. Despite these setbacks, he said the Government had acted swiftly to preserve macroeconomic and social stability and remained focused on maintaining the recovery momentum.

With less than a year remaining under the current EFF arrangement, the President said the Government’s priority was to complete the program successfully while ensuring that economic gains and stability are broadly shared across society.

He added that adherence to IMF program parameters was necessary to achieve sustainable long-term economic progress, while stressing that reforms were being implemented in a manner that maximised public benefit without imposing unnecessary burdens on the people.

President Dissanayake also described the relationship between the Government and the IMF as constructive, noting that both sides had demonstrated flexibility during the implementation process, enabling the reform agenda to proceed without major obstacles.

The meeting concluded with both sides reaffirming their commitment to continue working closely towards the successful implementation of the Extended Fund Facility program and securing lasting economic stability.

The IMF delegation comprised Sonali Jain-Chandra, Mission Chief Evan Papageorgiou, Resident Representative Martha Woldemichael, Enrique Flores Curiel, Ursula Wiriadinata, Yorbol Yakhshilikov, Maksym Markevych and Manavee Abeyawickrama.

Representing the Government were Labour Minister and Finance and Planning Deputy Minister Dr. Anil Jayantha Fernando, Central Bank Governor Dr. P. Nandalal Weerasinghe, Treasury Secretary Dr. Harshana Suriyapperuma, Senior Economic Adviser to the President Duminda Hulangamuwa, Senior Additional Secretary to the President G.M.R.D. Aponsu and other officials.