சர்வதேச நாணய நிதியம் சிறீலங்காவில் இருந்து வெளியேறுகிறது

அடுத்தமாதம் தனது வதிவிட பிரதிநிதியை மீளப்பெற்றுவதுடன் தனது அலுவலகத்தையும் மூடிக் கொள்கிறது. இது சிறீலங்காவிற்கு சர்வதேச நாணய நிதியத்தின் குறைந்து வரும் கடன் அளிப்பின் ஒரு வெளிப்பாடாக அவதானிக்கப்படுகிறது.

IMF to quit embattled Sri Lanka

COLOMBO (AFP) - The International Monetary Fund announced it was closing its office in Sri Lanka from next month as the embattled island no longer had a borrowing programme with them.

"The decision reflects the evolving nature of the IMF's relationship with Sri Lanka, with Sri Lanka no longer having a program with the IMF," the fund's senior resident representative for Sri Lanka, Luis Valdivieso said in a statement on Sunday.

He said the decision was also was taken in the context of the overall declining budget available to the IMF to maintain an office in Colombo.

The Washington-based fund will continue to maintain a close relationship with Sri Lanka, with staff visiting regularly to exchange views with the authorities, he said.

"The IMF also remains firmly committed to the government's efforts to promote sustained economic growth and poverty reduction," he said.

On Friday, the fund warned Sri Lanka to settle its long running ethnic conflict that has claimed over 60,000 lives since 1972.

"Sri Lanka's near- and medium-term economic prospects depend critically on progress on the peace front and on implementing essential reforms," IMF said in its annual review known as the Article IV consultations.

Military confrontations between government forces and Tamil Tiger rebels intensified recently, claiming over 3,600 lives in the past year, and there has been no progress in attempts to settle the conflict through negotiations.

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http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20061224/wl_st...mf_061224082029

IMF closing down Colombo mission

Courtesy: Sunday Times - December 24, 2006

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has decided to close down its resident representative office in Colombo when the term of its current Senior Resident Representative, Luis Valdivieso’s term ends next month.

The decision reflects the evolving nature of the IMF's relationship with Sri Lanka, with Sri Lanka no longer having a programme with the IMF, and also was taken in the context of the overall declining real administrative budget available to the IMF, the Fund said in a statement. Mr. Valdivieso told The Sunday Times that the decision was taken because the IMF hasn’t had a programme with Sri Lanka for a long time.

He said, however, the IMF would take part in the Sri Lanka Development Forum, formerly known as the Sri Lanka Aid Consortium (and held in Paris), at the Galle Lighthouse Hotel on January 29-30 at the invitation of the Finance Ministry. The last Development Forum meeting was held in Kandy on May 16-17, 2005.

The IMF representative, who said the office would close down on February 1, noted that the decision also followed the restructuring of the organization. We are pruning our offices overseas. For instance, in India, we’ll have a small office, he said.

The statement said the IMF and the Sri Lankan authorities would continue the close and collaborative relationship and maintain an open dialogue. The IMF remains firmly committed to the government’s efforts to promote sustained economic growth and poverty reduction. IMF teams will continue to visit Sri Lanka to exchange views with the authorities, as they do in all member countries, it said.

On Thursday, the IMF’s Colombo office, probably its last review statement from Sri Lanka, said in a report that despite an escalation of hostilities, the country’s economy had continued to show resilience.

With only minor interruptions in most parts of the country, growth is projected at 7 percent. Financial markets have remained calm, though investor confidence has been somewhat weakened by increased uncertainties, the report released on Thursday, said.

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http://www.tamilcanadian.com/page.php?cat=405&id=4680