China sends letter of assurance needed by IMF

President issues strict warning against another July 09, assures polls after country stabilises

President Ranil Wickremesinghe told Parliament yesterday that on Monday night, the government had received China’s Exim Bank’s assurance needed to secure the financial arrangement from the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

The President said the letter of intent, signed by him and the Governor of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka, had been sent to the IMF on the same night.

President Wickremesinghe assured the Parliament that once the IMF agreement was reached, it would be tabled in Parliament, along with the draft of the Government’s future plans, and the road map.

President Wickremesinghe made this statement while delivering a special address in Parliament on the current state of the economy and the status of the IMF programme.

The President, in his address to Parliament, said that with the provision of fertiliser, the country had achieved a successful harvest during the Yala and Maha seasons, and the export of agricultural products had gained a fair degree of normalcy, and economic problems, since June 2022, had been resolved to some extent.

Inviting the Opposition to join the government’s efforts to stabilise the country’s economy, the President assured that an election would be held once the country had stabilized.

Acknowledging people’s right to freedom of speech, the President said tough measures would be adopted in dealing with any form of sabotage and urged not to allow another July 09 to happen again.