New Prime Minister Sri Lanka Ranil Wickremesinghe said he hoped for a closer relationship with India during his term of office and thanked India for his economic assistance for the country for handling the worst economic crisis since independence.
Ranil Wickremesinghe, 73, was appointed as Sri Lanka’s 26th Prime Minister on Thursday to stabilize the economy that was ridden by the country’s debt and ended political chaos.
I want a closer relationship and I want to thank the Prime Minister (Narendra) Modi,” said Prime Minister Wickremesinghe, referring to Indian economic assistance to his country.
India has committed more than USD 3 billion for Sri Lanka who is full of debt in loans, credit channels and credit exchange since January this year.
India on Thursday said they hoped to work with the newly formed Sri Lanka government in accordance with the democratic process and the commitment of New Delhi to the people of the island state would continue.
The 73-year-old national party leader (UNP) took over as the prime minister because the country was without the government since Monday when President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, older brother and prime minister Mahinda Rajapaksa resigned when PM after violence erupted after the attack against the anti-sense of anti -The government by his supporters.
The attack sparked extensive violence against Rajapaksa’s loyalist, making nine people killed and injured more than 200 others.
Prime Minister Wickremesinghe said the focus was limited to overcoming the economic crisis.
I want to solve this problem to ensure the supply of gasoline, diesel and electricity to the people, “said Prime Minister Wickremesinghe.
Sri Lanka faced the worst economic crisis since getting independence from Britain in 1948. This crisis is partly caused by a lack of foreign currencies, which means that the country is unable to pay the import of staple food and fuel, which leads to acute deficiencies and very high prices .
Asked if he could maintain his premiership in Parliament 225 members because he only had one chair, he said: “I will prove the majority when it comes to that”.
Referring to protests throughout the island, Prime Minister Wickremesinghe said the main protest near the Secretariat of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa for more than a month would now be allowed to continue.
