Harsha urges IMF to support governance alongside financial assistance

The Chairman of the Committee on Public Finance (CoPF), MP Dr. Harsha de Silva, extended a warm welcome to IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva during her visit to Sri Lanka, while expressing appreciation for the support provided by the IMF when the country faced a financial crisis.

Speaking in Parliament, Dr. de Silva highlighted that Sri Lanka was able to recover from the crisis faster than many other countries, attributing this, in part, to bipartisan support that allowed the IMF programme to proceed without political obstruction.

“As the Chairman of the Committee on Public Finance, my request to the IMF is that we continue this strong relationship,” he said. 

He further said that, “the IMF should go beyond the financial issues that have been negotiated and agreed upon but also governance issues which are equally important.”

Dr. de Silva emphasized the significance of moving beyond partisan politics to support national recovery and strengthen institutional governance.