Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena held a discussion with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) delegation led by Negotiation Panel Head Peter Breuer at the Prime Minister’s office in Colombo on Friday.
The Prime Minister briefed the IMF delegation about the steps taken by the Government to face the unprecedented economic challenges faced by the country and to mitigate the hardships faced by the lower income groups.
While elaborating on the measures taken to reduce non-essential imports and increase export production, he stressed the need for welfare for the poorest segments of the society.
Breuer said his delegation would hold discussions with the Government, Opposition and other stakeholders and report to the IMF Board.
IMF Mission Chief Dr. Masahiro Nozaki said as the Prime Minister pointed out, a safety net for economically vulnerable groups is an essential requirement when plans are formulated to restructure debts and revive the economy.
The IMF delegation included Deputy Head Masahiro Nozaki, IMF Sri Lanka Permanent Representative Tubagus Feridhanusetyawan.
Secretary to the Prime Minister, Anura Dissanayake, Central Bank Governor Dr. Nandalal Weerasinghe and Deputy Governor Chandranath Amarasekara, an IMF Alternate Executive Director, also took part in the discussion.