1. As per the health guidelines issued on 18th April 2022 by the Director General of Health Services, fully vaccinated travellers do not need to take pre-boarding and on arrival ( day 01) Covid-19 test (PCR or Rapid Antigen test) before travelling to Sri Lanka.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs welcomes the verdict by the Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) in Gujranwala, Pakistan on 18 April, 2022 sentencing six accused to death in the killing of Sri Lankan national Priyantha Kumara Diyawadanage who worked as a manager at a private factory in Sialkot, Pakistan.

Friends and citizens of Sri Lanka.

I speak to you at a crucial time as we grapple with many challenges that have overcome our people. These challenges are not new to me having overseen the journey our nation has undertaken in my fifty plus years of politics.

Currently Sri Lanka is facing social, economic and financial distress creating hardships to its people due to the long lasting impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, global political imbalances and macroeconomic imbalances of the country. Although the authorities are taking measures to address the above situation of the country, including taking steps to actively manage its debt obligations, finding immediate financial assistance from other nations and progressing at the discussions with the International Monetary Fund for a comprehensive programme, the positive impacts of such measures will benefit the people only in the medium to long term. Therefore, urgent measures are needed to enhance the foreign reserve position of the country to meet its day-to-day essential imports including food, fuel and medicine.