Ambassador of the United States to Sri Lanka, Julie Chung says the appointment of new Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe today (May 12) and the quick formation of an inclusive government are the first steps to addressing the island nation’s crisis and promoting stability.

In a congratulatory message posted on her official Twitter handle, Ms Chung said she looks forward to working with the new prime minister of Sri Lanka.

The United States encourages meaningful progress at the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and long-term solutions that meet the needs of all Sri Lankans, she added.

The UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe, who previously held the premiership five times between 1993 and 2018, was sworn in again as the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka this evening (May 12).

He took oaths before President Gotabaya Rajapaksa at the President’s House in Colombo.

Look forward to working w/ @RW_UNP. His appointment as PM, and the quick formation of an inclusive government, are first steps to addressing the crisis & promoting stability. We encourage meaningful progress at the IMF & long-term solutions that meet the needs of all Sri Lankans.

— Ambassador Julie Chung (@USAmbSL) May 12, 2022