Colombo, November 18 (Daily Mirror) – While emphasizing his government’s commitment to meeting the pressing needs of the people, President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has urged the IMF to maintain a balanced approach that takes into account the difficulties faced by citizens .

He said this during a meeting with Senior Mission Chief Peter Breuer and the IMF delegation at the Presidential Secretariat today (18), to discuss the next steps of the IMF program.

The President reaffirmed his willingness to collaborate with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to advance Sri Lanka’s economic recovery within his mandate, the President’s Media Division (PMD) said.

The IMF team congratulated the president and his government on their decisive election victory, expressing optimism about the collaboration.

President Dissanayake, in turn, highlighted his administration’s responsibility to uphold the mandate of the people, stressing that the success of the IMF program depends on rebuilding public confidence in governance.

He assured that under his leadership, social spending allocations will be used effectively, with priority given to combating child poverty and malnutrition and providing better support to people with disabilities.

The IMF delegation noted that allocations for social spending had not been fully utilized previously, prompting President Dissanayake to commit to proactive measures to ensure efficient allocation and use of resources.

Governance and the fight against corruption were also at the heart of the discussions. The President reiterated his administration’s commitment to the fight against corruption, a key element of the mandate granted by the people. He assured the IMF team that his government would implement strict laws to strengthen legislative and institutional structures to ensure transparency and accountability.

The meeting marked a positive step in collaboration between the government and the IMF, laying the foundation for a coordinated effort towards economic recovery and long-term stability.