Sri Lanka, May 16 -- Former Foreign Minister Ali Sabry has backed the Sri Lankan government's decision to impose a temporary 50% surcharge on vehicle import duties, calling it a "prudent and timely measure" to protect the country's fragile foreign exchange reserves amid growing global uncertainty.

In a statement shared on social media, Sabry said he had warned since the beginning of the ongoing global conflicts that the war could continue longer than anticipated by the United States and Israel, increasing pressure on small import-dependent economies like Sri Lanka.

He also welcomed the government's decision to exempt Letters of Credit (LCs) opened on or before May 15, 2026, describing it as a "sensible and fair safeguard" that would pr...