Sri Lanka election panel approves incumbent Wickremesinghe for presidential race

Colombo, Sri Lanka's election panel gave approval on Thursday for President Ranil Wickremesinghe to contest a presidential poll set for September 21 in the Indian Ocean nation, grappling with the fallout of its worst financial crisis in decades. Wickremesinghe was among 39 candidates to submit nominations for the vote, key to charting Sri Lanka's way out of a crisis unleashed after exhausting its foreign reserves, sending the economy into freefall and defaulting on foreign debt in 2022. "We have to stabilise the economy," Wickremesinghe told reporters after his candidacy was announced. "What we are saying is, 'Let's go ahead and finish this job.' That's why I'm asking for your support." After being elected by parliament in July 2022, Wickremesinghe, 75, has shepherded the island through the crisis, which triggered widespread protests and forced his predecessor, Gotabaya Rajapaksa, to resign. The winner will have to shore up the fragile economic recovery, implement a four-year $2.9-billion programme with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), finalise a $12.5-billion debt restructuring and focus on achieving sustainable growth. Source : Bahrain News Agency