World News: Sri Lankan president expands cabinet ahead of IMF talks – Gulf Digital News

World News: Sri Lankan president expands cabinet ahead of IMF talks – Gulf Digital News

COLOMBO: Sri Lanka's President Gotabaya Rajapaksa expanded his cabinet with 17 new ministers on Monday, but they did not include members of his family who were dropped as protests erupted over the government's handling of a devastating economic crisis.

The president's elder brother, Mahinda Rajapaksa, however remains prime minister.

The island nation of 22 million is suffering from prolonged power cuts and fuel and medicines shortages, triggered by a sharp fall in its foreign exchange reserves that has stalled imports of essentials and brought thousands out on the streets.

Rajapaksa's government is set to begin talks with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) on Monday for a loan programme, and analysts have flagged political instability as a risk in Sri Lanka finding a way out of financial turmoil.

Faced with growing popular unrest, Rajapaksa dissolved his cabinet earlier this month and invited all parties in the parliament to form a unity government, an offer that was rejected by opposition groups and members of the ruling alliance.

"Seventeen new cabinet ministers were sworn in before President Gotabaya Rajapaksa at the President's Secretariat today morning," a statement from the president's office said.

Only five members of the previous cabinet were sworn in again, while most of the other portfolios