Finance Minister Samaraweera off to Washington with CB and Treasury officials to discuss IMF Fund Facility

Minister of Finance and Mass Media Mangala Samaraweera will leave for Washington on Jan 11 in abid to get the IMF External Fund Facility (EFF) back on track, a Ministry statement said.

Mr Samaraweera is scheduled to meet with Christine Lagarde, Managing Director, Mitsuhiro Furusawa, Deputy Managing Director, Chanyong Rhee, Director, Asia Pacific Department, Manuel Goretti, Team Leader and other members of the IMF.

Minister Samaraweera is expected to discuss the Government's intention to continue with IMF reform program. A key objective will be to negotiate the trajectory of continued fiscal consolidation while accommodating policies to support growth and strengthen the social safety net, the statement said.

The among those accompanying the Finance Minister on this visit include the Governor of the Central Bank, Secretary to the Treasury and other key officials of the Central Bank and the Treasury.