President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has congratulated the new Prime Minister of Sri Lanka Ranil Wickremesinghe on his appointment.
In a tweet, President Solih congratulated Prime Minister Wickremesinghe, and expressed confidence that Sri Lanka would be able to overcome its current challenges under his leadership. The president expressed hope the newly appointed prime minister would be able to bring greater peace and prosperity to Sri Lankans.
Ranil Wickremesinghe, a political veteran who has been prime minister of Sri Lanka five times before, was sworn-in in a ceremony attended by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and the media on May 12. He faces the daunting task of leading his country through its worst economic crisis since independence.
Economic mismanagement, the COVID-19 pandemic and rising energy costs following Russia's invasion of Ukraine have drained state coffers, meaning Sri Lanka is running low on fuel and essential medicines and facing daily power blackouts. The crisis triggered nationwide protests against the Sri Lankan government, forcing the resignation of former Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa on May 9.