President Ranil Wickremesinghe met USAID Administrator Samantha Power on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) sessions in New York.
During the discussions the President expressed his appreciation for the support extended by USAID to Sri Lanka during the financial crisis.
The President presented a short briefing on the progress with the IMF programme, while highlighting the Government’s commitment to its successful conclusion. The efforts made by the Sri Lankan Government in improving the efficiency and effectiveness of the welfare programmes through the introduction of the Aswesuma initiative were illustrated during the meeting. Power stated that USAID would continue to support Sri Lanka’s recovery efforts, while also making available necessary expertise.
Regarding the developments following the enactment of the anti-corruption legislation, President Wickremesinghe noted that the Anti-Corruption Commission is currently grappling with the task of recruiting staff with formal training.
Given this circumstance, it is anticipated that it will require an additional year to realize the anticipated outcomes of the anti-corruption law adoption, making the timeline for achievement approximately two years.
The President stated that the entire Government machinery of his Government has been fully adapted to the implementation of the anti-corruption policy, and requested for the necessary support to be provided for the completion of these activities as soon as possible.
