News
President convenes meeting of leaders of registered political parties to discuss latest IMF proposals
President Ranil Wickremesinghe has convened a meeting where leaders of registered political parties could discuss the proposals put forth by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) with its high-level delegation, the President’s Media Division (PMD) announced on Friday (08).
Leader of the Opposition Sajith Premadasa, leader of the JVP-led National People’s Power (NPP) Anura Kumara Dissanayake, and Tamil National Alliance (TNA) leader S. Sridharan have been invited to participate in these deliberations, the PMD said.
The meeting is to be held at the Presidential Secretariat on March 11 with an open invitation extended to interested individuals to join alongside the invited leaders.
The initiative stems from a recent request made by Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) MP Dr. Harsha de Silva in Parliament, prompting the President to extend an invitation to all recognized Opposition parties to collaborate with the government in navigating the challenges posed by the IMF programme, the PMD said.
“President Wickremesinghe underscores the critical importance of successfully advancing the IMF programme. He emphasizes the necessity of collective accountability from all parties involved. Key figures set to participate in the discussions include Ministers of State for Finance Shehan Semasinghe and Ranjith Siyambalapitiya, Senior Advisor to the President on National Security and Chief of Presidential Staff Sagala Ratnayaka, Secretary to the President Saman Ekanayake, Governor of the Central Bank Dr. Nandalal Weerasinghe, Secretary to the Treasury and Finance Ministry K. M. Mahinda Siriwardana and Senior Advisor to the President on Economic Affairs, Dr. R.H.S. Samaratunga,” the PMD said.
The Parliament of Norway is set to debate today (26) Sri Lanka’s political situation and human rights record, one year after the national elections.
The Stortinget will convene a formal debate to examine “current developments in Sri Lanka” and assess the direction of governance, democratic reforms and accountability under the present administration, foreign media reported.
The debate has been initiated by Member of Parliament Kamzy Gunaratnam of the Norwegian Labour Party and will be addressed by Norway’s Minister of Foreign Affairs. It will focus on a number of key areas, including governance and anti-corruption commitments, the human rights situation, developments affecting ethnic and religious minorities, and “ongoing concerns regarding militarisation, accountability, and reconciliation”.
Gunaratnam emphasised the importance of international engagement on Sri Lanka’s situation, stating: “Sri Lanka has experienced profound political, economic, and social challenges in recent years. The purpose of this parliamentary debate is to contribute to informed international dialogue, grounded in democratic values, human rights, and long-term stability.”
The interpellation process is a formal parliamentary mechanism in Norway that allows for in-depth debate on matters of national and international significance. The upcoming session will provide Norwegian lawmakers an opportunity to question the government’s policy approach to Sri Lanka and consider future engagement.
The debate will be publicly accessible via a live stream hosted by the Norwegian Parliament on www.stortinget.no.
Acting on a tip-off received by Sri Lanka Coast Guard, a special search operation was conducted in collaboration with Tissamaharama Police on 23 February 2026 in the Tissamaharama area that led to the arrest of two persons in possession of 03 grams and 500 milligrams of crystal methamphetamine, equipment for use and a motorbike.
The suspects, along with the seized substances, equipment and the motorbike, were handed over to the Tissamaharama Police for further investigation and legal proceedings.
Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism Vijitha Herath will undertake a visit to Germany from 26-27 February 2026 to participate in a series of meetings related to trade and foreign employment, pursuant to an invitation extended by the German-Asia Pacific Business Association (OAV) Bremen Chapter.
The Minister will attend the events related to the 125th Anniversary of the Bremen Chapter of the Asia Pacific Business Association as the Guest of Honor and Keynote Speaker from Asia, alongside the Foreign Minister of Germany Dr Johann Wadephul, who will participate as the Guest of Honor and Keynote Speaker from Germany. The OAV is the largest German association for the promotion of German-Asian business relationships and brings together German business leaders and policymakers focusing on the Asia-Pacific region.
Minister Herath is also scheduled to have discussions with Minister Wadephul during the visit and participate in a business roundtable on Sri Lanka.
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