FM shares Lanka’s growth experience at UN ECOSOC

Finance Minister Mangala Samaraweera participating in the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) Forum’s Ministerial Financial Dialogue Panel Discussion on ‘Promoting Inclusive Growth Reducing Inequalities’ on April 15, shared measures taken in Sri Lanka towards achieving inclusive growth and details of the ‘Enterprise Sri Lanka’ concessionary loan scheme which was launched in mid-2018 with the objective of creating 100,000 young entrepreneurs especially in the villages.
Addressing the General Debate of the FfD on 16 April, Minister Samaraweera explained some of the measures taken by Sri Lanka including in the 2019 budget to address identified challenges in sustainable and equitable development. Stating that financial commitments are increasingly challenging for countries like Sri Lanka that are subject to significant fiscal constraints.
The Minister emphasised the need for international cooperation including for supporting measures to prevent and mitigate the debilitating impacts of climate change in vulnerable economies. The Minister urged for greater public-private partnerships and multi-stakeholder initiatives globally, to ensure the successful achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) so that no one is left behind. Minister Mangala Samaraweeraalso met the Executive Director of UNICEF Henrietta H. Fore, and discussed matters related to financing for Early Childhood Development (ECD).