The Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) has presented its Policy Agenda for 2026 and Beyond, outlining strategic priorities aimed at maintaining price stability, safeguarding financial system stability and supporting sustainable economic growth, CBSL Governor Dr. Nandalal Weerasinghe announced.
According to the policy document, the Sri Lankan economy is expected to continue the growth momentum recorded over the past two years, with economic growth projected at around 4–5 per cent in 2026.
While acknowledging ongoing efforts by national and international stakeholders to restore economic normalcy, the Central Bank emphasised the urgent need to prioritise disaster preparedness and long-term resilience building, especially in light of recent climate-related challenges.
The policy agenda notes that the external current account is estimated to have recorded a surplus for the third consecutive year. As a result, the market-determined exchange rate remained relatively less volatile and experienced a gradual depreciation during the year.
Despite challenging conditions, including meeting external debt servicing obligations without corresponding inflows and increased demand for vehicle imports, Sri Lanka’s Gross Official Reserves (GOR) showed notable improvement. Reserves, which hovered between USD 6.0 billion and USD 6.3 billion for most of the year, surpassed USD 6.8 billion by the end of 2025—marking the highest reserve level recorded since the economic crisis.
Looking ahead, the Central Bank stated that it intends to implement several policy measures in 2026, with a strong focus on strengthening the formulation and execution of monetary policy. Continued efforts will also be made to enhance the transparency and predictability of policy actions, the CBSL said.
