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CB Governor Weerasinghe honoured with prestigious “A Grade” award by Global Finance Magazine

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Dr. Nandalal Weerasinghe, has been awarded the “A Grade” by Global Finance magazine at the 2025 World’s Best Central Bank Governors awards, held alongside the IMF–World Bank Annual Meetings in Washington

Central Bank Governor Dr. Nandalal Weerasinghe has underscored the importance of timely restructuring, transparency, and sustained reform, and emphasised a focus on countries with sustainable debt, but high debt servicing burdens. He said so at a Global Sovereign Debt Roundtable (GSDR) in Washington.

According to CBSL, Sri Lanka advocated for clearer processes in commercial debt restructuring, regular updates on bilateral agreements, practical guidance on liability management, and greater debt transparency.

The Sri Lankan delegation, led by CB Governor Dr. Weerasinghe actively participated in a series of high-level bilateral and multilateral meetings during the 2025 World Bank Group/ International Monetary Fund (IMF) Annual Meetings in Washington, D.C., between October 13 and18, 2025.

The CB Governor, during his participation at the Annual Meetings, met with the Managing Director of the IMF, the President of the World Bank Group, senior officials from both institutions, and representatives from the US Department of Treasury, the CBSL said.

The delegation, which included senior officials from the Central Bank of Sri Lanka and the Ministry of Finance, received strong support for Sri Lanka’s ongoing economic reform efforts. There was widespread recognition of the country’s prudent macroeconomic management, encompassing sound fiscal and monetary policies, efforts to safeguard financial system stability, strengthened social safety nets, and continuous improvements in governance.

Discussions with multilateral and bilateral partners focused on advancing development cooperation in infrastructure, energy, and digital transformation, with particular interest in securing new financing and technical assistance on capacity building. The delegation also engaged productively with the sovereign credit rating agencies, providing updates on economic recovery and reform milestones that were well received and helped reinforce market confidence.

Constructive interactions with the US Chamber of Commerce and active participation in investor forums further highlighted Sri Lanka’s commitment to transparency, investment promotion, and fostering renewed investor confidence. Progress on debt restructuring was highly commended, future collaboration was encouraged, and updates on economic recovery and reform milestones were well received.

During the Global Sovereign Debt Roundtable (GSDR), Sri Lanka welcomed global efforts to address debt vulnerabilities and strengthen coordination, emphasising the near completion of its debt restructuring and recent IMF programme milestones.

Governor Dr. Weerasinghe underscored the importance of timely restructuring, transparency, and sustained reform, and emphasised a focus on countries with sustainable debt, but high debt servicing burdens. Sri Lanka advocated for clearer processes in commercial debt restructuring, regular updates on bilateral agreements, practical guidance on liability management, and greater debt transparency.

The intervention endorsed the updated Restructuring Playbook and called for enhanced international support to sustain reforms and restore market access, reaffirming Sri Lanka’s commitment to ongoing global debt coordination efforts, the statement said.

The outcomes of these meetings and the GSDR intervention underscore the international community’s confidence in Sri Lanka’s reform trajectory. Constructive engagement with key partners and financial institutions has reinforced support for Sri Lanka’s economic recovery, debt sustainability, and investment climate.

The delegation’s transparent dialogue and commitment to best practices send a strong signal to markets and investors: Sri Lanka is on a firm path to stability and growth, backed by robust policies and global partnerships, it added.

A highlight of the week was the recognition of Dr. Nandalal Weerasinghe with the prestigious “A Grade” award by Global Finance Magazine at the 2025 World’s Best Bank Awards Ceremony. This accolade was in recognition of prudent monetary policy, supervision of the financial system, and the Central Bank’s leadership in navigating challenging global conditions.



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Members of the TPA meet with President Dissanayake

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A group of Tamil Progressive Alliance (TPA) members, including its Leader Mano Ganesan, met President Anura Kumara Dissanayake on Thursday  (02) morning at the Presidential Secretariat.

Extensive discussions were held on the issues faced by the Malayagam communities, particularly in relation to education, housing and land, as well as on the urgent measures required to address these concerns. The President paid special attention to all these matters.

Attention was also drawn to the recruitment of qualified Tamil-medium teachers to address the teacher shortage in estate sector schools and this too was discussed at length.

Members of Parliament P. Digambaram and V. Radhakrishnan, along with several other party members, were present at the meeting.

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Lanka secures Russian support with oil supply amidst energy crunch

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Minister of Foreign Affairs, Vijitha Herath, held talks with Deputy Foreign Minister of Russia Andrey Rudenko at the Foreign Ministry, in Colombo, on Thursday (02), with both sides reaffirming their commitment to strengthening bilateral relations.

The Sri Lanka Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the visiting Russian Deputy Minister noted that Russia regarded Sri Lanka as a long-standing friend.

Rudenko assured that Russia stood ready to support Sri Lanka when required, including in the swift supply of Russian oil to help address the current energy challenges, encouraging Russian investors to explore new opportunities in the country and promoting increased tourist arrivals.

He also expressed Russia’s readiness to provide compensation for Sri Lankan war veterans who had lost their lives in the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine.

Minister Herath welcomed Russia’s willingness to assist, emphasising that Sri Lanka valued the support extended by its “old friend”, particularly at a time when the country was facing pressing energy needs.

He noted that the two countries shared nearly seven decades of diplomatic relations and said the present moment provided an opportunity to further strengthen ties, including through long-term trade agreements.

The discussions focused on enhancing cooperation in the fields of energy, investment, tourism and diplomacy, with both sides reiterating their commitment to further deepen the longstanding friendship between Sri Lanka and Russia.

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157 foreigners arrested for engaging in online financial scam from hotel at Iranawila

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Police yesterday arrested 157 foreign nationals in connection with an alleged organised online financial scam, conducted from a hotel in the Iranawila area in Chilaw.

The suspects were taken into custody during a raid carried out by the Police while they were staying at the hotel in Iranawila.

Police said the arrested group included 143 nationals from China, 13 from Bangladesh and one from Vietnam.

Investigators suspect the group had been involved in a coordinated online financial scam, targeting victims through digital platforms.

The suspects are being detained for further questioning while investigations are continuing to determine the full extent of the operation and whether additional individuals were involved.Police said further inquiries are underway.

By Norman Palihawadane

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