Sri Lanka confirms $12.55bn debt deal to secure IMF lifeline

November 27, 2024 (MLN): Sri Lanka's government announced it would honour the $12.55 billion international sovereign bond restructuring agreement brokered by its predecessor, a critical step to maintain the $2.9bn IMF bailout loan, as APP reported. 

The leftist government of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, who came to power two days after the bond deal was announced in September, said it would implement the restructuring immediately.

A majority of private creditors of the South Asian nation agreed two months ago to a 27% haircut on their loans, but it needed the approval of the new administration.

Dissanayake's National People's Power (NPP) party had criticised the restructuring as being unfavourable to the impoverished nation and vowed to renegotiate after coming to power.

However, since Dissanayake's party went on to win a landslide at the November 14 parliamentary elections he has made a U-turn, saying the recovery was too fragile to make any changes.

"We extend our gratitude to our external creditors, the IMF and the Official Creditor Committee (OCC) for the good faith negotiations that have enabled us to reach this point," Dissanayake said in a statement also referring to bilateral lenders.

Sri Lanka declared a sovereign default on its external debt in April 2022 after running out of foreign exchange to pay for essential imports such as food, fuel and medicines.

The shortages led to months of street protests that forced then-president Gotabaya Rajapaksa to step down.

The central bank had expected a debt restructure within a few months, but talks had dragged on for more than two years.

International Sovereign Bonds account for just over $12.5bn of the island's foreign debt, which stood at $46bn during Sri Lanka's default in 2022.

As part of the deal agreed in September and ratified Tuesday, bondholders will also take an 11% haircut on overdue interest payments accumulated since the default.

Sri Lanka secured a $2.9bn bailout from the IMF in 2023 after doubling taxes, withdrawing energy subsidies and raising prices of essentials to shore up state revenue.

The IMF announced over the weekend that Dissanayake's government had agreed to press ahead with the bailout programme that involves tough austerity and economic reforms.

"The Sri Lankan authorities have reaffirmed their determination to persevere with their reform agenda and put the economy on a path of sustained and high growth," IMF managing director Kristalina Georgieva said Tuesday in a statement.

"To capitalize on this momentum, rapid completion of the debt operation with high creditor participation would be vital for the success of the program," she added.

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