Sri Lanka says IMF talks near end after declaring state of emergency

July 18, 2022

 Sri lanka’s acting President Ranil Wickre-Mesinghe gazetted orders late on Sunday for a state of emergency in the crisis-ridden island nation, in an effort to head off unrest ahead of a vote in parliament later this week to elect a new president.

Sri lanka’s leaders have imposed a state of emergency several times since April, when public protests took hold against the government’s handling of a deepening economic crisis and a persistent shortage of essentials.

Wickremesinghe had announced a state of emergency last week, after President Gotabaya Rajapaksa fled the country to escape a popular uprising against his government, but it had not been officially notified or gazetted.

Late on Sunday, Wickremesinghe – who was sworn in on July 15 as acting president – declared a fresh state of emergency, the specific legal provisions of which are yet to be announced by the government.