COLOMBO, Sri Lanka - Sri Lanka's president on Wednesday said he urged Russian leader Vladimir Putin to help his cash-strapped island nation import fuel as it faces its worst economic crisis in seven decades.
Sri Lanka has been struggling to import essentials because of the economic mismanagement and the impact of the coronaviruses, leading to a shortage of medicine, food and fuel.
President Putin had a very productive telecon with President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, according to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, who had requested credit support from Russia to import fuel.
With its gas and diesel stocks nearly exhausted, Sri Lanka has extended a countrywide school shutdown and asked public employees to work from home.
Sri Lanka has already bought oil from Russia to tide it over the crisis, and the government has indicated it is willing to make further purchases.
We unanimously agreed that strengthening bilateral relations in sectors such as tourism, trade culture was the most important factor in reinforcing the friendship our two nations share, Rajapaksa said.
Sri Lanka will hold road shows in five Indian cities to draw more traffic from its populous northern neighbor to bring in more foreign currency, its tourism minister said.
Sri Lanka has seen a steady trickle of 61,951 Indian tourists - the most from any foreign country in the first five months of this year, known for its rolling hills, pristine beaches and laidback seaside towns.
Sri Lanka must have tourism revenue if it is to emerge from this crisis. Tourism Minister Harin Fernando said that was essential.
Fernando said that the country would end the year with about one million tourists, compared to the fewer than 200,000 arrivals last year, even though some countries, including Britain, have issued advisories asking citizens to only undertake essential travel to Sri Lanka.
Fernando said that they are confident that the winter season will be good.