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Sri Lanka gets $500m South Korean loan after Chinese bailout

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10 May 2021 05:34 pm - 11     - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

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Sri Lanka said Monday it had secured a $500 million loan from South Korea, a month after a similar loan from China as the island faced a foreign exchange shortage amid a debt crisis.

The government said South Korea agreed to provide the loan at a concessional interest rate of 0.15 to 0.20 percent, repayable over 40 years with a 10-year grace period.

"The framework arrangement was signed today," the finance ministry said in a statement.

Last month Colombo raised another $500 million loan from Beijing in a desperate bid to shore up its dwindling foreign reserves and ease pressure on the local currency.

The People's Bank of China also granted a $1.5 billion currency swap to finance imports from China in February as the rupee hit a record low of 202.73 to the dollar.

At the end of April Sri Lanka said its economy shrank 3.6 percent last year due to the Covid-19 pandemic, making it the worst downturn since independence from Britain in 1948.

The unprecedented recession compared with 2.3 percent GDP growth in 2019, according to the Central Bank of Sri Lanka.

It said the government's debt also rose to 101 percent of GDP last year, up from 86.8 percent the previous year, underscoring the debt crisis facing the island.

International rating agencies have expressed concern over Sri Lanka's ability to service its huge foreign debt as the country's foreign reserves fell sharply in the past year.

Sri Lanka has already borrowed heavily from China raising fears of a debt trap.

Chinese influence in Sri Lanka has been growing in recent years through loans and projects under its vast Belt and Road infrastructure initiative, raising concerns among regional powers and Western nations.

Between 2005 and 2015, Colombo borrowed billions from China, accumulating a mountain of debt for expensive infrastructure projects.

Sri Lanka was forced to hand over its strategic Hambantota port on a 99-year lease to a Chinese company in 2017 after it was unable to service the $1.4 billion debt from Beijing used to build it.(AFP)


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  Comments - 11

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  • Sam Silva Monday, 10 May 2021 07:02 PM

    Borrow more and print more .

    Vadivelu Yogaratnam Monday, 10 May 2021 07:29 PM

    Should be in Guinness book of records in begging.

    Mange Monday, 10 May 2021 08:30 PM

    So the public donot settle your bank loans . Local banks should give a grace period of atlest5 years.

    Ramesh Monday, 10 May 2021 08:36 PM

    Is there any country left on the earth where Sri Lanka didn't get a loan?

    Dee Monday, 10 May 2021 08:37 PM

    Now we can be pulled by all fours!

    roni Monday, 10 May 2021 08:56 PM

    These Koreans are great ship builders, any Terminal such as North or South to sell or lease for 99 years?

    Ranaweera Monday, 10 May 2021 09:00 PM

    These guys keep on building more and more highways by borrowing money.

    vithura Monday, 10 May 2021 09:22 PM

    Wonder why they did not go to back to China for more loan!

    G abe Monday, 10 May 2021 11:22 PM

    Maybe if our politicians stopped looting public funds we wouldn't need to borrow so much, how will we repay the debt? Give away lands to foreign nations? Too many coconut pluckers in gov, need good brainy people , not corrupt families

    Gamarala Monday, 10 May 2021 11:55 PM

    This is a very sad situation for Sri Lanka and its future generation to be stuck with so much debt to pay back. Are all the new highways really necessary? Can we all tighten our belts and try to manage our own destiny with producing locally and managing with what we have?

    NANDE Tuesday, 11 May 2021 09:56 AM

    DO WE HAVE ANY MORE SPACE TO TAKE LOANS?


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