US says SL to face tough challenges
26 March 2015 04:57 am
Though President Maithripala Sirisena was pivoting the country away from the harmful policies of his predecessor, the US government said Sri Lanka would face tough challenges in the months ahead including the financial mess they have inherited.
“The Sri Lankan people, and the Sirisena government, face tough challenges in the months ahead including the financial mess they inherited. But I want to reiterate the assurances made by President Barrack Obama and Secretary Kerry that the US looks forward to deepening our partnership with Sri Lanka and working with them to advance democracy,” US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Nisha Desai Biswal said.
Addressing the house of foreign affairs subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific on Tuesday, she said that this commitment was not reflected in the President’s budget request for assistance to Sri Lanka.
“I would like to underscore that this budget request was written before Sri Lanka’s democratic transition and reflects the more constrained environment created by the previous government, which forced us to draw down our programs. That is not the Sri Lanka of today and we see tremendous opportunities to assist the country in improving governance, accountability, commerce, and more. We look forward to working closely with this committee and with key committees in the House and Senate to explore options for supporting the democratic transition in Sri Lanka,” she said.
Ms. Biswal said that the prospects for strengthened democratic institutions, equitable economic growth, and reduced ethnic tensions were much greater under President Sirisena’s leadership than they were during the previous regime.
“President Sirisena, working in a government of national unity with Sinhalese and minority political parties, is pivoting the country away from the harmful policies of his predecessor. His coalition took actions that reflect their commitment to a comprehensive governance reform agenda, including development assistance and support for civil society and vulnerable communities,” she said.