Committee submits proposals to respond to US tariffs

The committee appointed by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake to study the tariffs imposed on Sri Lanka by President Donald Trump, submitted a set of proposals and the next steps to be reviewed.

A discussion was held at the Presidential Secretariat between President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and the Committee appointed to submit recommendations on the new U.S. tariff system.

During the meeting, the Committee’s proposals concerning the country’s strategic response to the imposition of these new tariffs, as well as the next steps that should be taken was reviewed in detail.

Furthermore, the Sri Lankan government is expected to initiate prompt discussions with the U.S. government regarding possible relief measures.

The Committee is represented by Senior Economic Advisor to the President Duminda Hulangamuwa; Secretary to the Ministry of Finance Mahinda Siriwardana; Governor of the Central Bank Dr. Nandalal Weerasinghe; Secretary to the Ministry of Trade A. Vimalaneththiraja; Chairman of the Export Development Board Mangala Wijesinghe; Senior Director General (Bilateral) of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Dharshana M. Perera, Chief Economic Policy Advisor at the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce Shiran Fernando; Group CEO of Brandix Ashroff Omar; Co-Founder of MAS Holdings Sharad Amalean; Chairman of the Heyleys Group Mohan Pandithage and Ananda Caldera.

Also in attendance were Minister of Labour and Deputy Minister of Economic Development Anil Jayantha Fernando, and Deputy Minister of Finance and Planning Harshana Suriyapperuma.