SRI LANKA'S NEW CABINET: PRESIDENT DISSANAYAKE PICKS 21-MEMBER EXECUTIVE BRANCH AS PART OF WIDESPREAD REFORMS

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake on Monday unveiled a 21-member cabinet, comprising politicians from various parties, as he eyes sweeping reforms including a campaign promise of drafting a new constitution and rooting out corruption.

In the swearing-in ceremony held at the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo, Educationist Harini Amarasuriya was reappointed as Prime Minister, making her the first woman to head the national government in 24 years. She is also set to hold ministries for education, higher education, and vocational training.

Veteran politician Vijitha Herath was appointed Foreign Minister, while Ananda Wijepala took over Public Security and Parliamentary Affairs Ministry. Bimal Rathnayake has been assigned Transport, Highways, Ports, and Civil Aviation Ministry.

The new cabinet formation comes amid Sri Lanka's economy still recovering from its worst economic crisis, with the country facing a sovereign default and shrinking economy by 7.3 percent in 2022 and 2.3 percent last year. The nation is currently undergoing an IMF bailout programme.

President Dissanayake, who has a left-leaning National People's Power (NPP) coalition, dissolved his previous cabinet and sought a new mandate before the snap parliamentary elections last week. The NPP secured a landslide majority with 159 seats in the 225-member house, while the main opposition Samagi Jana Balawegaya won just 40 seats.

With a two-thirds majority, Dissanayake can now amend the constitution, fulfilling his campaign promise of drafting a new one. The NPP had aimed to ensure that this power does not corrupt them.

The cabinet will hold its first parliamentary sitting on Thursday and is expected to prepare a budget for 2025 in line with the ongoing IMF bailout secured by the previous government. An IMF delegation is scheduled to arrive on Wednesday for talks with the new administration, accompanied by conduct of a third review of Sri Lanka's economic reform programme worth $2.9 billion.