President Anura Kumara Dissanayake emphasized that recent economic indicators clearly demonstrate Sri Lanka’s transition toward stability, and the government’s objective is to leverage this stability to lead the nation into a transformational era.
He further noted that the government aims to utilize these economic gains to ease and enhance the living standards of the public.
President Dissanayake made these remarks during a discussion held yesterday morning (17) at the Presidential Secretariat with an International Monetary Fund (IMF) delegation led by Mission Chief Evan Papageorgiou.
The delegation is currently visiting Sri Lanka for the seventh review of the Extended Fund Facility (EFF) program and the 2026 Article IV consultation, and will remain in Colombo from September 10 to 23.
During the meeting, Evan Papageorgiou commended Sri Lanka’s notable economic progress, praising the measures taken over the recent period to maintain fiscal discipline, enhance state revenue, and attract foreign investments. He also underscored the importance of focusing on maintaining this achieved economic stability continuously.
Speaking further, President Dissanayake highlighted that the program between the government and the IMF provided a strong foundation for Sri Lanka’s economic stabilization. He pointed out that this stability helped the country effectively withstand recent shocks, including the severe natural disaster caused by Cyclone Ditwa and the economic impacts arising from the Middle East conflict.
The President stated that maintaining an economic growth rate of 4.2% in the second quarter of this year serves as a crucial signal of economic recovery. He also recalled the government’s strong performance in tax revenue collection over the past two years.
Additionally, attention was drawn to the progress made in implementing social welfare programs—a key outcome of the IMF program—as well as the challenges faced by the public due to rising energy costs stemming from the situation in the Middle East.
The meeting was attended by Central Bank Governor Dr. Nandalal Weerasinghe, Secretary to the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development Dr. Harshana Suriyapperuma, Senior Economic Advisor to the President Duminda Hulangamuwa, and Senior Additional Secretary to the President Russel Aponsu, among others.
