The alleged theft of US$ 2.5 million by cybercriminals who breached the Finance Ministry’s computer systems has come under the attention of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), which says it is closely monitoring the situation.
In response to a query from the Daily Mirror, an IMF spokesperson said the organisation has taken note of the developments. “We are aware of the statement issued by Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Finance confirming unauthorised access to the computer systems of the External Resources Department. We take note of this important development and are closely monitoring the situation,” the spokesperson said.
The funds in question were reportedly intended for debt repayment to Australia. Sri Lanka is currently in the process of economic recovery following its worst financial crisis in 2022, which led to a sovereign debt default of around US$ 46 billion and a subsequent IMF-supported programme.
The IMF and Sri Lankan authorities have already reached a staff-level agreement on economic policies under the Extended Fund Facility, covering the combined Fifth and Sixth Reviews of the reform programme. Once approved by the IMF Executive Board, Sri Lanka is expected to receive around US$ 700 million in financing.
The overall IMF arrangement, agreed in March 2023, totals approximately US$ 3 billion aimed at supporting the country’s economic recovery and reforms.
