The Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Kristalina Georgieva commenced her official engagements in Sri Lanka with field visits to areas affected by Cyclone Ditwah, inspecting damage and interacting with impacted communities as part of efforts to support recovery and long-term resilience.

As part of her tour, IMF Chief Georgieva today visited Mawathura village in the Udapalatha Divisional Secretariat Division, one of the most sensitive zones impacted by the national disaster, to inspect the site of a landslide triggered during Cyclone Ditwah.

During the visit, the IMF Managing Director engaged in discussions with survivors and conveyed her deep sympathy and solidarity with the affected families. She also expressed appreciation for the Government’s swift and coordinated response to the disaster and commended the resilience and courage demonstrated by the impacted communities.

Addressing children in the village, she underscored the importance of empowering the younger generation and expressed confidence that they would grow into responsible citizens contributing meaningfully to the country’s future progress, with continued government support.

Earlier, Ms. Georgieva also visited other cyclone-affected communities in Gampola, where she observed ongoing recovery efforts and highlighted the need to stimulate economic activity in the affected regions, including improving housing and livelihood opportunities to support sustainable recovery.

The IMF Managing Director further noted that Sri Lanka’s ongoing reform agenda and commitment to good governance provide a unique opportunity to accelerate economic recovery and strengthen long-term growth.

The visit to Mawathura village was attended by Deputy Minister of Finance and Planning, Dr. Anil Jayantha Fernando; Governor of the Central Province, Professor Sarath Abeykoon; Secretary to the Treasury, Harshana Suriyapperuma; and Chief Secretary of the Central Province, G. H. M. Premasinghe.

IMF Managing Director Georgieva is in Sri Lanka on a three-day official visit from February 16 to 18, 2026, reaffirming the IMF’s support for the country’s economic recovery and disaster response initiatives.