Fergus Cumming, Deputy Chief Economist of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), concluded a three-day visit to Colombo from 18 to 20 March.
Fergus engaged in constructive discussions with key stakeholders, including the State Minister of Finance, Central Bank Governor, IMF Representatives, Diplomatic counterparts, opposition parties, and leading private sector entities such as HSBC, Standard Chartered, Ceylon Chamber, and the Chamber of British Business.
Reflecting on his visit, Fergus made these remarks:
“A key part of my job is to engage with countries where the economic context is important for ongoing partnerships… The ties between our two countries are rich, historic and run deep. The relationships between our governments, our people and
our economies have stood the test of time and we look forward to strengthening these into the future.”
The visit reaffirmed the UK’s commitment to Sri Lanka, the importance of adherence to the IMF programme, and highlighted the opportunities and challenges of long-term economic reform.
