IMF team expected in Colombo next week

• State Minister Semasinghe says it is a routine staff visit
• Team to meet with President Wickremesinghe as well
• Will evaluate progress made thus far in reform programme backed by IMF 

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) would evaluate Sri Lanka’s economic progress next week, with a team of officials expected to arrive in the country, the Finance Ministry said.

Finance State Minister Shehan Semasinghe yesterday told Mirror Business that a team from the IMF would be in Colombo and would engage in technical meetings. The team will also meet with President Ranil Wickremesinghe.

The visit will be the first for the year 2024. 

While unsure of the duration of their stay in the country, Semasinghe shared that the team would evaluate the progress made thus far in the IMF-backed reform programme. 
“It is not going to be an assessment per say. It is a routine staff visit before the upcoming review,” he said. 

The second review under the 48-month Extended Fund Facility (EFF) arrangement is scheduled to be held in March-April this year and will look at the performance for the July to December 2023 period. 

Following the completion of the first review in December 2023, the IMF stressed the need for Sri Lanka to enter into agreements with its official and private creditors before the second review takes place. 

The finalisation of the first review paved the way for the disbursement of US $ 337 million. This brought the total IMF financial support disbursed to about US $ 670 million. 

Following the executive board discussion in December, the IMF said Sri Lanka’s macroeconomic policy reforms have begun to bear fruit and the economy is showing tentative signs of stabilisation, with rapid disinflation, significant revenue-based fiscal adjustment and reserves build-up.

Noting that the performance under the EFF-supported programme has been satisfactory, the IMF said all quantitative performance criteria for end-June were met, except the one on expenditure arrears. Other than tax revenues, all indicative targets were met as well.

To meet the IMF’s tax revenue requirement, Sri Lanka made several changes to its tax regime, with the major change being in the Value Added Tax (VAT).

The total amount of Sri Lanka’s EFF arrangement is about US $ 3 billion as of the time of programme approval on March 20, 2023. 

The programme supports Sri Lanka’s efforts to restore macroeconomic stability and debt sustainability, safeguard financial stability and enhance growth-oriented structural reforms.