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Lanka expected to reach agreement with its commercial creditors – IMF
There is a strong expectation that Sri Lanka will reach agreements with its commercial creditors, consistent with programme parameters, by completion of the second review, International Monetary Fund Communications Director Julie Kozack said on Thursday, addressing a press conference in Washington.
She said that on December 12, 2023, the IMF’s Executive Board approved the first review of Sri Lanka’s programme with the IMF. It enabled a disbursement of 337 million U.S dollars. And on March 21, the IMF Staff and the Sri Lankan authorities reached a Staff-Level Agreement on economic policies to conclude the second review, as well as the 2024 Article IV Consultation.
“Completion of the review by the Executive Board requires, first, the implementation of the prior actions that have been agreed and second, completion of, what we call, financing assurances review. That review would need to confirm that multilateral partners are continuing their financing contributions to Sri Lanka, and it will also assess progress with debt restructuring, and it will need to conclude that adequate progress is being made,” Kozack said.
The IMF Communications Director said the macroeconomic policy reforms in Sri Lanka are starting to bear fruit. Commendable outcomes include rapid disinflation, robust reserve accumulation, and initial signs of economic growth, while preserving stability of the financial system. Public finances have strengthened following substantial fiscal reforms, and it is critical that this reform momentum be continued, she said.
Kozack said the next steps on the debt restructuring are to conclude the negotiations with external commercial creditors and to implement agreements in principle with official creditors.
“The domestic debt operations, you know, part of the debt restructuring, are largely completed, and there is a strong expectation that agreements with commercial creditors consistent with programme parameters will be reached by completion of the second review,” she said.
The government, under heavy Opposition fire over inclusion of a sex website in the Grade 6 English module, as well as overall education reforms, has decided to put on hold reforms in respect of Grade 6.
Cabinet Spokesman and Media and Health Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa announced the government decision yesterday (13) at the post-Cabinet media briefing at the Information Department.
According to him, the decision had been taken at the previous day’s Cabinet meeting, chaired by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake. Dr. Jayatissa said that education reforms pertaining to Garde 6 had been put on hold until 2027.
The Minister said that other proposed education reforms would be implemented as planned. The Minister said that action would be taken against those responsible for the inclusion of a link to a sex website following investigations conducted by the Criminal Investigation Department and the National Education Institute.
The SJB and several other political parties, as well as civil society groups, have accused the government of promoting an LGBTQ agenda, through the proposed education reforms.
The Opposition grouping Mahajana Handa, on Monday, made representations to the Mahanayake Thera of the Malwatta Chapter regarding the controversial reforms, while urging their intervention to halt the project.
President Anura Kumara Dissanayake yesterday (13) vowed to go ahead with his government’s agenda, regardless of the destruction caused by Cyclone Ditwah.
Emphasising the responsibility on the part of all to contribute to the post-Ditwah recovery efforts, President Dissanayake said that he would have complete faith in the public service.
The President said so at the launch of the re-building Sri Lanka project at the BMICH yesterday.
The JVP and NPP leader said that he wouldn’t take advantage of the death and destruction caused by the cyclone or use the situation as an excuse to reverse their agenda or weaken it.
President Dissanayake said that in spite of many calling for amending the then Budget, in view of the cyclone, the government presented the proposals that were agreed before the disaster struck.
The United States has announced that it will provide the Sri Lanka Air Force with 10 US Navy TH-57 helicopters free of charge.
The announcement was made by outgoing US Ambassador Julie Chung, who stated, on social media, that the helicopters would be transferred under the United States’ Excess Defence Articles programme. The aircraft are Bell 206 Sea Ranger helicopters previously operated by the US Navy.
US sources said that the transfer was intended to strengthen Sri Lanka’s disaster response capabilities, following the devastating cyclone that struck the island at the end of 2025 and killed more than 600 people. US officials have framed the move as a humanitarian measure aimed at improving aerial rescue and relief operations.
Showery condition over the island is expected to reduce from tomorrow (15th)
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Govt. bows to pressure, shelves Grade 6 reforms
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