Sri Lanka's bankrupt economy has shown "tentative signs of improvement," a top IMF official has said, underlining that this reform momentum must continue under strong ownership by both the authorities and the Sri Lankan people. These remarks were made by International Monetary Fund Deputy Managing Director Kenji Okamura on Thursday at the end of his two-day official visit to the debt-trapped island nation.

'Sri Lanka's economy is showing tentative signs of improvement, in part due to the implementation of critical policy actions. But the economic recovery remains challenging. Now, more than ever, it is essential to continue the reform momentum under strong ownership by both the authorities and the Sri Lankan people', he said in a statement.