During his four-day introductory visit to Sri Lanka, the Secretary General of SAARC, Ambassador Golam Sarwar, participated in the Inaugural Session of the 45^th SAARCFINANCE Governors’ Meeting and Symposium. The event, hosted by the Central Bank of Sri Lanka in Colombo on 13-14 June 2024, brought together Governors, Finance Secretaries, and other delegates from the Central Banks and Ministries of Finance across the SAARC region. The first day featured the SAARCFINANCE Governors’ Symposium, focusing on the theme “Central Banking amid Multi-faceted Global Economic Challenges.”

His Excellency Ranil Wickramasinghe, the President of Sri Lanka and Minister of Finance, Economic Stabilization, and National Policies, graced the inaugural ceremony with his presence and delivered the keynote speech. In his address, President Wickramasinghe underscored the significance of enhancing regional cooperation to confront current economic challenges and foster development. He reiterated the crucial roles of monetary and fiscal stability and emphasized ongoing initiatives to fortify the legal framework, ensuring sustained stability within the nation. The day’s agenda further included two enlightening panel discussions.

The 10^th SAARC Summit of the Heads of State of the SAARC Region, held in Colombo on 29 July 1998, agreed in principle to establish a 'Network of Central Bank Governors and Finance Secretaries of the SAARC Region (SAARCFINANCE)' to facilitate dialogues on macroeconomic policies, and the sharing of experiences and ideas among member states. Subsequently, SAARCFINANCE was formally established on September 9, 1998, as a regional network comprising the Central Bank Governors and Finance Secretaries of SAARC countries.

Ambassador Golam Sarwar was accompanied by Ms. Irosha Cooray, Director (ESC) at the SAARC Secretariat, to this event.

SAARC Secretariat

15 June 2024