The IMF Executive Board on Friday approved a 20-month
standby arrangement for Sri Lanka worth about SDR 1.65 billion (about
US$ 2.6 billion) to support the country’s economic reform program.Authoritative official sources said yesterday that 70%
of the Executive Board had supported this arrangement with no votes
against, although the US, UK, Germany, France and Argentina had
abstained.The IMF announced that following the Executive Board
approval, SDR 206.7 million (about US$ 322.2 million) "becomes
immediately available to Sri Lanka."
A9 still restricted
Although a section of the print and electronic media
declared that the Jaffna-Kandy A9 road had been re-opened for public
transport, the military yesterday said that though several buses had
been allowed to pass through last Wednesday, the A9 will not be opened
for public or private transport immediately.
