May 20, Colombo (LNW): France has signalled its readiness to accelerate the restructuring of its bilateral debt agreement with Sri Lanka, reaffirming its support for the island nation’s ongoing economic recovery efforts.
This assurance was given during a meeting held today at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Colombo between Rémi Lambert, the French Ambassador to Sri Lanka, and Vijitha Herath, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment, and Tourism.
The meeting focused on strengthening bilateral cooperation and facilitating a timely conclusion to Sri Lanka’s debt restructuring negotiations.
Ambassador Lambert commended the Sri Lankan government’s commitment to structural reforms and macroeconomic stabilisation, noting that France remained a committed partner in both multilateral forums and direct diplomatic dialogue.
He acknowledged the resilience of Sri Lanka’s economic reform agenda and expressed confidence in the country’s efforts to restore fiscal discipline and financial credibility on the global stage.
Minister Herath, in turn, underscored the urgency of concluding the restructuring process, citing the pressing need to ensure long-term financial sustainability while safeguarding social protection and development priorities. He stressed that the process must not only be expedient but fair and balanced for all stakeholders involved.
France, a member of the Paris Club of creditor nations, plays a key role in Sri Lanka’s ongoing negotiations with bilateral lenders. As part of its debt treatment under the IMF-backed recovery programme, Sri Lanka is seeking to finalise agreements with official and private creditors in order to unlock further funding tranches and restore investor confidence.
