Sri Lanka:President Wickremesinghe says IMF talks nearing conclusion.

Acting President Ranil Wickremesinghe on Monday urged the political parties to put aside their differences and form an all-party government which would allow the country to recover from the economic crisis as he assured the public that talks with the IMF were nearing conclusion.

Mr. Wickremesinghe renewed the country’s state of emergency Monday ahead of a parliamentary vote to pick a new head of state — a poll in which he is a leading candidate.

Ranil Wickremesinghe automatically became acting President when Gotabaya Rajapaksa resigned last week after fleeing to SingaporePolice and the military have already stepped up security ahead of Wednesday’s vote to elect a President for the remainder of Mr. Rajapaksa’s term, which ends in November 2024.

Earlier on Sunday, Sri Lanka’s state-run Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) on Sunday reduced the diesel and petrol retail prices, the first decrease after five hikes since February. The diesel and petrol retail prices have been reduced by Rupees 20 each. Both had been raised by Rs 50 and 60 at the end of May.

Mr. Wickremesinghe, a six-time former prime minister, is being backed for the President position by Mr. Rajapaksa’s party, which remains the largest in the legislature.