Sri Lanka's President Unveils 21-Member Cabinet Amid Plans for Sweeping Reforms
Colombo, Sri Lanka - Sri Lanka's newly elected President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has appointed a 21-member cabinet, marking the beginning of his administration's efforts to implement sweeping reforms, including a campaign promise of a new constitution.
In a ceremony held at the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo, Dissanayake reappointed educationist Harini Amarasuriya as the country's prime minister, retaining key positions such as defence and finance. Amarasuriya will also oversee ministries of education, higher education, and vocational training, making her the first woman to head the national government in 24 years.
The newly appointed cabinet includes veteran legislator Vijitha Herath as foreign minister, Ananda Wijepala as public security and parliamentary affairs minister, and Bimal Rathnayake as transport, highways, ports, and civil aviation minister. Other key positions include transport and infrastructure minister, and economic development minister.
Dissanayake's National People's Power (NPP) coalition secured a landslide majority in last week's snap parliamentary elections, winning 159 seats out of 225. The victory marks a significant shift for the country, as it is only the second time since 1977 that a single party has won a clear majority.
With this mandate, Dissanayake can now amend the constitution without needing to rely on any allies or coalition partners, a move that could pave the way for a new referendum on a constitutional reform. The president emphasized on exercising absolute power responsibly and fulfilling the aspirations of the people who have been oppressed economically and politically for too long.
The new government is expected to prepare a budget for 2025 in line with the ongoing IMF bailout secured by the previous government, which has been implementing economic reforms worth $2.9 billion since Sri Lanka's sovereign default in 2022. An IMF delegation is currently on a weeklong visit to conduct talks with the new government and review Sri Lanka's economic reform programme.
The swearing-in ceremony marked a significant milestone for Dissanayake's administration, and his cabinet's first policy decisions are expected to be unveiled in the coming days.