- Deputy Director IMF for Asia Pacific, Anne-Marie Guide-Wolf says the IMF is working with other multilateral lenders on financing programs for Sri Lanka: indicates the country will have to diligently follow their policies.
- IMF says Sri Lanka is a “middle income” country and remains so even with the decline in GDP: stresses that therefore the proposed EF Facility is not “concessional”, but a regular IMF facility.
- Analysts express grave concern over IMF MD’s comment of the need “to bring equality of treatment for all creditors, public and private”: interpret statement to mean that any “haircut” being imposed on forex creditors will need to be imposed on local debt as well.
- Health Minister Keheliya Rambukwella says Sri Lanka will implement a “foster parent” concept to feed extreme malnourished kids: over 20,000 children said to be starving due to economic hardships: an estimated 6.3 mn people said to be facing moderate to severe acute food insecurity.
- More than 6 months after announcing the “debt default”, Sri Lankan authorities meet its largest sovereign overseas bondholders for the first time, in Washington: financial and legal advisers “Lazard” and “Clifford Chance”, and CB Governor Weerasinghe and Treasury Secretary Siriwardena represent Sri Lanka.
- Highly active Tourism Minister Harin Fernando lauds Sri Lanka being acclaimed among the 13 “safest” counties to travel in the world: Sri Lanka is 12th, while Iceland is 1st as per WorldPackers.com.
- Amendments to National Transport Act pertaining to three wheeler regulations languish in government departments for months: three wheeler fares fluctuate, without regulations.
- Uttara Lanka Sabagaya led by former Minister Wimal Weerawansa to start countrywide series of meetings: objective to strengthen the state and guide the country out of the current economic crisis.
- Energy Minister Kanchana Wijesekera says the Ministry of Energy has been informed that the Central Bank can only provide USD 200 mn per month for energy imports: prior to April 2022 before debt default, USD 500 mn was provided by the Central Bank for energy even while paying forex debt and providing forex liquidity to the state banks.
- India Women’s Cricket team win their 7th Asia Cup title: beat Sri Lanka by 8 wickets: SL – 65/9 (20 overs): India – 71/2 (8.3 overs).
