News

Cabraal says debt restructuring underway without IMF assistance

Published

5 years ago

2021/11/18

By Sanath Nanayakkare

Sri Lanka will not seek IMF assistance to restructure its debt, Central Bank Governor Ajith Nivard Cabraal has said, adding that debt restructuring is an ongoing process which the country has already undertaken.

“There are many instances where people ask us whether Sri Lanka needs to restructure its debt repayments. And I tell them, we have to manage our debt without using the word restructuring in a frivolous manner, the Central Bank Governor said on Saturday.

The Central Bank Governor made these comments addressing a virtual meeting hosted by the Centre for Banking Studies to discuss the implications of the National Budget 2022 which was presented in parliament on 12 Nov.

“Every debt situation needs restructuring on an ongoing basis. For example, if you have one debt where the interest rate is 7-8% and if you can find another source from which you can borrow at a cheaper rate, then you would be technically restructuring your debt. This is something that people sometimes don’t realize. In the same manner, you could have a debt which is of a shorter duration and if you’re able to increase the period of the debt and also ensure that your repayments are staggered even more, that is a way of restructuring your debt. If you can change the mix of your debt, from foreign currency, to local currency or between foreign currencies, that again is a type of restructuring of your debt portfolio which is to your advantage. That process is underway” he said.

“Sri Lanka has also understood that its reliance on International Sovereign Bonds (ISB) has been quite sharp and in the last few years, there has been a fairly extensive reliance on ISBs. Now this has to be re-shifted in some way so that we would have a greater control, within a long period of time. That’s why the government, very rightly, with the Central Bank is now examining the option of having government to government loan situations, central bank to central bank swaps, the examining of the possibilities of securitising remittances as well as other inflows. These are all new options the government is considering, together with the raising of non-debt creating inflows, monetisation of certain assets, increasing the value of exports and remittances. These are all natural options the Central Bank and the government are examining to ensure the debt profile is a lot more sustainable. Several of these ideas have already been put into action. We have spoken about it in the Central Bank’s Road Map as well. In the next few months, you will see a large number of these being implemented to position Sri Lanka on a debt sustainable path,” he said.

“When the proposals of the National Budget 2022 and the contents of the Central Bank’s Road Map are diligently implemented, Sri Lanka’s macro-fundamentals would look much better than now, and the country would be well on course for a 6% plus growth with stability.

“We are looking at 5% growth this year, of course on a much lower base of last year’s negative growth of 3.6%. But given the circumstances, that’s a reasonable number for this year. If the Year 2022 turns out to be a good year and Sri Lanka Tourism inflows also recover to about one-fourth of what it used to be prior to 2019, I think Sri Lanka would record an economic growth of more than 6% in 2022,” he said.

“The Central Bank will ensure that financial system stability is maintained, while growth is achieved in order to support the government to attract investments. Already there are several areas of investments planned, particularly in the Port City. The Port City Commission Bill has already been passed which gives massive opportunities for those who are looking to do business there. A study by a leading accounting firm has said that the Port City project would add 13.8 billion U.S. dollars to the country’s economy. That is a substantial number. If we can get that going, along with the organic growth of our own economy, we will have extremely useful economic indicators that would show the true potential of our economy whereby the private sector should be able to very keenly deliver on the promise of its full capacity”.

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President chairs discussion on 2027 Budget Proposals for the Ministry of Industry and Entrepreneurship Development

Published

11 hours ago

2026/07/16

Priyan

A pre-Budget discussion to review the progress of projects implemented under the 2026 Budget allocations for the Ministry of Industry and Entrepreneurship Development and to discuss proposals for the 2027 Budget was held under the patronage of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake at the Presidential Secretariat on Monday (13) afternoon.

The progress of projects implemented by each division of the Ministry of Industry and Entrepreneurship Development and the institutions under its purview using the 2026 Budget allocations, as well as proposals for the 2027 Budget, were reviewed separately during the discussion.

The President also focused on the current status of the programme to establish industrial zones in areas including Dambulla, Ingiriya, Valachchenai, Millaniya and Katunayake. Discussions centred on issues that have arisen in allocating land and developing infrastructure, including electricity, water and roads, as well as the urgent measures required to resolve these issues.

President Dissanayake instructed officials to make every effort to complete all projects already initiated under the Ministry of Industry and Entrepreneurship Development within the stipulated timeframes. He also highlighted the need to clearly identify the Government’s role and limitations in relation to the industrial sector.

Attention was also drawn to the current situation regarding the development of state-owned enterprises, while issues affecting the sugar and salt industries and alternative proposals to address them were also discussed.

The current status of the process to consolidate institutions under the Ministry of Industry and Entrepreneurship Development was also reviewed. The President pointed out that large institutions had been established at different times to meet various needs, ultimately creating a situation in which such institutions had to be maintained using taxpayers’ money.

He stressed that the consolidation of these institutions should not only improve their efficiency but should also result in a relative reduction in operational expenditure compared with the costs incurred prior to consolidation.

Officials also briefed the President on the proposal to establish the Entrepreneurship and Industry Transformation Authority (EITA) and the programme proposed under the Authority.

Attention was also focused on the challenges faced by exporters and industrialists in carrying out their activities. The President instructed officials to submit proposals on general concessions that could be provided to encourage exporters and industrialists.

The President further pointed out that Sri Lanka could develop distinctive expertise by identifying several key areas within the industrial sector and providing the facilities necessary for their development.

Minister of Industry and Entrepreneurship Development Sunil Handunnetti; Minister of Labour and Deputy Minister of Finance and Planning Anil Jayantha Fernando; Deputy Minister of Industry and Entrepreneurship Development Chathuranga Abeysinghe; Secretary to the President Dr Nandika Sanath Kumanayake; Chief of Presidential Staff Prabath Chandrakeerthi; Senior Additional Secretary to the President Russell Aponsu; Secretary to the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development Dr Harshana Suriyapperuma; and Secretary to the Ministry of Industry and Entrepreneurship Development Thilaka Jayasundara, along with officials from the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Industry and Entrepreneurship Development, participated in the discussion.

[PMD]

News

Prime Minister meets the Amir of the State of Qatar and conveys condolences on the passing of the Father Emir

Published

11 hours ago

2026/07/16

Priyan

Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya, visited the State of Qatar to convey condolences on the passing of the Father Emir, at Lusail Palace in Doha on Wednesday (15 July).

Upon her arrival, the Prime Minister was received by His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, Minister of Interior of the State of Qatar. The Prime Minister subsequently met with His Highness the Emir of the State of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani.

During the meeting, Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya conveyed to the Emir the deepest condolences of the Government and the people of Sri Lanka on the passing of the Father Emir, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani.

The occasion was attended by the Deputy Emir of the State of Qatar Sheikh Abdullah bin Hamad Al Thani; Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani; Hassan bin Abdullah Al Ghanim, Speaker of the Shura Council; senior members of the Royal Family.

[Prime Minister’s Media Division]

News

Current El Niño Status in Sri Lanka

Published

22 hours ago

2026/07/16

Priyan

At present, El Niño conditions have developed and are classified as being at a weak level. Forecasts indicate a 63% probability of a very strong El Niño event developing during the period from November 2026 to January 2027. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), there is approximately a one-third probability that El Niño will remain below a very strong intensity.

Typical Climatic Conditions Associated with El Niño
Based on analyses of past El Niño events that occurred between 1950 and 2025:
• Rainfall during July and August may be below normal, particularly in the dry zone areas.
• From October onward, rainfall is generally expected to be above normal.
• If a positive Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) develops, enhanced rainfall conditions may continue until December.

Sectors Requiring Attention
• Appropriate measures should be taken for water resource management during July and August.
• Increased rainfall expected from October onward may lead to floods and landslides, requiring preparedness and close monitoring. The forecasts are important for sectors such as, Agriculture /Water management /Livestock /Health /Energy /Other climate-sensitive sectors
• Attention should be paid to official information issued by the Department of Meteorology.

Actions by the Department of Meteorology
The Department of Meteorology continuously monitors the evolving situation and issues:
• Weekly and monthly seasonal forecasts and Monthly analyses of rainfall data to monitor meteorological drought conditions.
As weather conditions are influenced not only by El Niño but also by other climatic factors, updated forecasts and advisories are regularly shared with relevant stakeholder organizations (Irrigation/ Water Management Committee /Department of Agriculture/National Building Research Institute/Disaster Management Centre (DMC)/Ministry of Health /Sri Lanka Land Development Corporation…etc). The Department also provides technical support to the committee established through a Cabinet decision to address climate-related impacts. The Department’s monthly rainfall outlook for July to September 2026 is attached

Monthly Rainfall Forecasts for July, August and September 2026
Month Rainfall forecast
July 2026

During July 2026, there is a higher probability of having near normal rainfall across most parts of the Western and Southern Provinces. The remainder of the country is expected to experience below normal rainfall.

August 2026

There is a higher probability of having below normal rainfall across most parts of the country during month of August 2026.

September 2026

There is a possibility of above-normal rainfall across most parts of the Western and Southern Provinces, while near-normal rainfall is expected in the Sabaragamuwa Province. Below-normal rainfall is likely in the remaining areas during September 2026.

Note: These long-range forecasts may change due to strong day-to-day atmospheric variability associated with the movement of weather systems such as atmospheric disturbances, low-pressure areas, and depressions, as well as intra-seasonal oscillations such as the Madden–Julian Oscillation (MJO). Therefore, in addition to the weekly and monthly forecasts, it is important to pay attention to the Department’s official announcements, weather advisories and warnings, as well as the daily weather forecasts issued by the Department of Meteorology.