Sri Lanka : Staff Report for the 2016 Article IV Consultation and Request for a Three-Year Extended Arrangement under the Extended Fund Facility-Press Release; Staff Report; Staff Statement, and Statement by the Executive Director for Sri Lanka

Context. The Sri Lankan economy has good underlying momentum but is starting to show signs of strain from a combination of unbalanced macroeconomic policies and an increasingly difficult external environment. A significant political transition has brought a new unity government to the fore. There is now an important window of opportunity to re-set macroeconomic policies to support stability and resilience, as well as undertake structural reforms to help Sri Lanka achieve high and sustained economic growth. Fiscal Policy. There is a clear need to put tax revenues on an upward path as part of a growth-friendly phase of fiscal consolidation and debt reduction. The significant reduction in the 2016 deficit to 5.4 percent of GDP will need to be followed by further revenue-based fiscal consolidation over the medium-term, guided by the 2020 deficit target of 3.5 percent of GDP (a primary surplus of 1 percent of GDP). Support on tax policy and revenue administration will be essential to successful implementation and creation of a simple, efficient, and equitable tax system.