June 08, Colombo (LNW): Muslims in Sri Lanka will mark the Hajj festival on Monday, June 17th, 2024, following the sighting of the crescent for the month of Dhul Hajj on June 7th.

June 08, Colombo (LNW): The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has expressed strong optimism that Sri Lanka will soon finalize agreements with external commercial creditors in line with program parameters. Julie Kozack, Director of the IMF Communications Department, stated during a press briefing on Thursday (06) that there has been “sufficiently strong progress on the debt restructuring front.”

On March 21st, IMF staff and Sri Lankan authorities reached a staff-level agreement on economic policies to conclude the second review of the economic reform program and the 2024 Article IV Consultation. The IMF Executive Board is scheduled to meet on June 12th to discuss this review and the Article IV Consultation.

Kozack noted that Sri Lanka’s macroeconomic policy reforms are yielding positive results, such as rapid disinflation, robust reserve accumulation, and initial signs of economic growth, while maintaining financial system stability. She highlighted that the program performance is strong, with most quantitative and structural benchmarks for the second review met or delayed, and ongoing reforms in some areas.

The next steps in the debt restructuring process include concluding negotiations with external commercial creditors and implementing agreements in principle with official creditors. Domestic debt operations are nearly complete, and discussions with external official creditors, including an MOU with the official creditor committee and final agreements with the Export-Import Bank of China, are well underway. Negotiations with external bondholders and the China Development Bank are also advancing.

“There is a strong expectation that agreements with external commercial creditors consistent with program parameters will be reached soon. So overall we assess that there has been sufficiently strong progress on the debt restructuring front,” Kozack reiterated.

June 08, Colombo (LNW): The Embassy of Sri Lanka in Brasilia participated alongside sixty other diplomatic missions in the International Food and Culture Exhibition 2024, held at the Museu de Arte de Brasilia on June 1, 2024.

The Sri Lankan stall, adorned with scenic pictures from Sri Lanka, offered visitors a taste of Sri Lankan culture through finger foods, sweets, and Ceylon Tea. To further promote Sri Lankan tourism, promotional videos were displayed on the wide digital screen in the main lobby, and Portuguese-language tourism leaflets were distributed to attendees.

This annual exhibition, supported by the Diplomatic Missions in Brasilia, attracted approximately 8,000 visitors this year, highlighting the diverse cultural and culinary offerings from around the world.

June 08, Colombo (LNW): The United States, through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), is bolstering Sri Lanka’s investment climate by enhancing access to commercial alternative dispute resolution (ADR). This initiative has resulted in the U.S.-sponsored training and accreditation of 23 international commercial mediators in Sri Lanka, effectively doubling the number of qualified mediators available to offer businesses a faster and more cost-effective alternative to traditional court litigation.

As part of USAID’s Efficient and Effective Justice (EEJ) project, these mediators have undergone comprehensive training in key areas such as communication, problem-solving, managing emotions, and overcoming impasses. The training was conducted by the Singapore International Mediation Centre (SIMC), a renowned independent, not-for-profit organization specializing in ADR and ADR training. Following a four-month mentorship program, these mediators will employ their new skills to facilitate around 100 commercial mediations in Sri Lanka by October 2026.

Commercial mediation, a vital form of ADR, offers a quicker resolution for disputes between businesses, or between businesses and the government or consumers. This method is not only cost-effective but also aims to preserve business relationships and supports international trade by ensuring that international settlement agreements can be enforced more effectively.

At a ceremony honoring the newly trained commercial mediators, Doug Sonnek, Deputy Chief of Mission for the U.S. Embassy, remarked, “The United States is dedicated to collaborating with Sri Lanka to create a favorable investment climate by embracing international best practices. This partnership not only equips mediators with essential skills to sidestep expensive litigation but also supports their ongoing development, thereby contributing to economic resilience and growth in Sri Lanka.”

USAID provides extensive support for ADR in Sri Lanka through the EEJ project, which collaborates with local and international experts to offer training in commercial mediation, negotiation, and ADR best practices to lawyers, law students, ADR centers, and companies. The EEJ also participates in pilot programs for judicial and court-referred mediation in partnership with the Court of Appeal and Commercial High Courts, aiming to resolve disputes swiftly and reduce delays and backlogs in the justice system. Through these comprehensive initiatives, the EEJ enhances the overall efficacy of the judicial process in Sri Lanka.

June 08, Colombo (LNW): For the first time in history, the Saudi Government has offered Muslim members of the Sri Lankan Tri-Forces a sponsored opportunity to perform the annual Haj pilgrimage in 2024. This groundbreaking initiative follows a request by Defence State Minister Premitha Bandara Tennakoon to Saudi Ambassador Khalid Hamoud Alkahtani.

Responding to the State Minister’s request, Ambassador Alkahtani secured five special quotas from the Saudi government, making this unprecedented opportunity available to Muslim Tri-Forces personnel.

State Minister Tennakoon expressed his gratitude to Ambassador Alkahtani and the Saudi Government for their generosity during a meeting held in Colombo on June 7. He acknowledged the Saudi Government’s earnest response, which has provided a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for Muslim members of the Tri-Forces to perform the Haj pilgrimage.

Ambassador Alkahtani thanked State Minister Tennakoon for initiating the request and pledged to increase the number of quotas for defense personnel in future years. He also announced another first: the opportunity for Sri Lankan Muslim defense personnel to perform the ‘Umrah’ pilgrimage in the future. He reiterated his government’s commitment to assisting all communities in Sri Lanka and emphasized his eagerness to collaborate closely with local officials.

Sri Lanka Haj Committee member Milfer Gaffoor and beneficiary Tri-Forces members accompanied State Minister Tennakoon on his visit to the Saudi Embassy, marking a significant step in fostering goodwill and cooperation between the two nations.

June 08, Colombo (LNW): More than 25,000 dengue cases have been reported, and nine patients have died in the past five months, prompting urgent calls for public cooperation to prevent a potential epidemic.

At a press conference held at the Presidential Media Center on Thursday (6th), Dr. Sudath Samaraweera, Director Consultant of the National Dengue Control Unit, emphasized that the current flood situation could exacerbate the spread of dengue. He stressed the necessity of full public support to execute the government’s dengue control plans, highlighting that this issue extends beyond health to economic and social domains.

Consultant Dr. Anoja Dheerasinghe, Community Medical Officer of the National Dengue Control Unit, noted a rise in cases, particularly in the Colombo, Gampaha, Kalutara, Ratnapura, Kandy, Kegalle, and Kurunegala districts. She advised that the most effective way to combat dengue is by preventing mosquito breeding. She urged the public to eliminate mosquito breeding sites at home, school, and workplaces.

Dr. Ananda Wijewickrema, Chairman of the National Drug Regulatory Authority and a specialist at the National Institute of Infectious Diseases, outlined key symptoms of dengue, including high fever, body pain, vomiting, severe headache, and diarrhea. He cautioned against taking painkillers or any drugs other than paracetamol without medical advice. If symptoms persist for more than two days, he recommended undergoing a complete blood test (FBC) and seeking medical advice from a government hospital. He also advised consuming liquids with salt and minerals, such as porridge, Jeevani, thambili, and lime, while avoiding liquids containing chemicals or red coloring.

June 08, Colombo (LNW): The prevailing rainy conditions in the southwestern part of the island are expected to intensify over the next few days, starting today (June 8th).

Showers will occur intermittently in the Western, Sabaragamuwa, North-Western, and Southern provinces, as well as in the Kandy and Nuwara Eliya districts. Some areas in the Western and Sabaragamuwa provinces, and in the Nuwara Eliya, Galle, and Matara districts, may experience fairly heavy showers exceeding 50 mm.

In the Northern and North-Central provinces, as well as in the Matale district, several spells of showers are anticipated.

Showers or thundershowers might occur in a few places in the Uva province and in the Ampara and Batticaloa districts during the evening or night.

Strong winds, ranging from 40-50 km/h, are expected at times over the Northern, North-Central, and North-Western provinces, as well as in the Trincomalee and Hambantota districts.

The general public is kindly requested to take adequate precautions to minimize damages caused by temporary localized strong winds and lightning during thundershowers.