Sri Lanka still needs adequate assurances from other bilateral creditors for its program to be approved, the International Monetary Fund said, after Paris Club lenders said they will re-structure debt.

“We welcome the recent statement by the Paris Club to provide financing assurances to Sri Lanka following the assurances provided by India,” an IMF spokesperson said.

“Sri Lanka continues to engage with official bilateral creditors to obtain financing assurances and also continues to advance domestic reforms,” an IMF spokesperson has said in a statement on the progress of its Extended Fund Facility to the South Asian nation.

“As soon as adequate assurances are obtained and remaining requirements are met, including by the Sri Lankan authorities, the EFF arrangement for Sri Lanka can be presented to the IMF’s Executive Board for approval.”

The Paris Club and India have provided formal support to the multilateral lender for the loan recast, while has offered term extensions, urging others to adopt a similar approach.

Sri Lanka has about $50 billion in foreign currency debt, of which about $10 billion is mainly split between China, Japan and India, according to government data as of December.

(Excerpts : Bloomberg.com)