Sri Lanka’s approach to DDR

Sri Lanka's approach to Domestic Debt Restructuring (DDR) stands out in its specificity and methodology. Notably, the strategy is centred on restructuring superannuation funds and Central Bank Holdings. According to an IMF staff report titled “Issues in Restructuring of Sovereign Domestic Debt” that detailed all 14 DDR episodes from 1998 onwards*, Sri Lanka is the only country that has adopted such a focused approach.

The table and the Venn diagram below illustrate a clear deviation from the norm. While all 14 DDR episodes involved the restructuring of the banking sector, and 64% restructured private holdings, none exclusively targeted their pension funds. Only Grenada and Ghana included public pension funds in their restructuring, but these funds were among several other targets.