Sri Lanka, July 1 -- The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has urged Sri Lanka to maintain the momentum of its economic reform agenda, stressing that continued progress in governance, fiscal management and monetary policy will be critical to securing the country's long-term economic stability.

Speaking at a media briefing in Colombo yesterday following an official visit to Sri Lanka, IMF Mission Chief for Sri Lanka, Evan Papageorgiou, said the country's Extended Fund Facility (EFF) programme was progressing well, but cautioned that the focus should remain on successfully completing the existing programme rather than discussing a successor arrangement.

"The EFF programme that Sri Lanka is implementing with the International Monetary Fund...