The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has announced that Sri Lanka is expected to receive the sixth tranche—nearly US$350 million—under its Extended Fund Facility (EFF) within the next two weeks.
The announcement was made by an IMF representative during a high-level donor forum held yesterday at the Ministry of Finance.
The Ministry convened the forum to bring together diplomatic missions, bilateral and multilateral development partners, and major international lending institutions to assess the national situation following Cyclone Ditva and to coordinate relief, rescue, and reconstruction assistance.
The meeting, co-chaired by the Governor of the Central Bank and the Secretary to the Treasury, was attended by Senior Economic Advisor to the President Duminda Hulangamuwa, Senior Additional Secretary to the President Russell Aponso, Secretary to the Ministry of Public Administration Aloka Bandara, and senior officials representing the Prime Minister’s Office, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism, the Disaster Management Centre and the Treasury Department.
According to the Presidential Media Division, development partners reaffirmed their strong commitment to supporting Sri Lanka during this critical period.
The Secretary to the Treasury presented a detailed overview of the widespread damage caused by Cyclone Ditva across multiple sectors. He emphasized the government’s move from immediate emergency response toward a comprehensive long-term recovery framework, noting the urgent need for bilateral and multilateral assistance in the form of food supplies, grants, concessional financing, and short- to medium-term support.
Highlighting a contraction in the economic sector and constraints on domestic borrowing, the Central Bank Governor underscored the importance of external financial assistance to stabilize the situation.
Government authorities also called on development partners to help stimulate international participation in reviving the tourism sector and encouraging travel to Sri Lanka.
Several development and donor partners pledged immediate support, including assistance for disaster relief operations, emergency services, and essential humanitarian supplies such as food, clean drinking water, hygiene kits, medical supplies, and emergency health services to stabilize affected communities and prevent disease outbreaks. Some countries have already deployed disaster relief and humanitarian teams to the island.
Development partners also agreed to redesign and repurpose existing lending facilities to support the medium-term rehabilitation of key economic and social infrastructure, including main roads, bridges, irrigation systems, and transport networks. They further explored options for new lending and grant packages to address longer-term development needs.
Meanwhile, the World Bank has initiated a rapid post-disaster assessment, while development partners held detailed discussions on a comprehensive damage and needs evaluation covering housing, infrastructure, agriculture, and essential services to mobilize funding for medium- and long-term recovery.
