World News: Sri Lanka PM to address crisis-hit nation as fuel stocks run short – Gulf Digital News

World News: Sri Lanka PM to address crisis-hit nation as fuel stocks run short – Gulf Digital News

COLOMBO: Sri Lanka's new prime minister will address the crisis-hit nation later on Monday, as the country's power minister told citizens not to join the lengthy fuel queues that have galvanized weeks of anti-government protests.

Ranil Wickremesinghe, appointed prime minister on Thursday, said he would give a "full explanation" of the financial crisis that has devastated the strategic Indian Ocean island nation, where China and India are battling for influence.

"There is a lot to be done and undone. We are prioritising matters, rest assured they shall be addressed as early as possible," he said in a series of tweets on Sunday.

The crisis led to widespread protests against President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and his family, culminating with the resignation of his elder brother Mahinda as prime minister last week after fighting between government supporters and protesters killed 9 people and wounded 300.

The president then replaced him with Wickremesinghe, an opposition parliamentarian who has held the post five times previously, in a desperate bid to placate protesters.

But the protesters have said they will keep up their campaign as long as Gotabaya Rajapaksa remains president. They have also labelled Wickremesinghe a stooge and criticised his appointment of four cabinet minister, all members of the political