Sri Lanka President Ranil Wickremesinghe appointed on Friday a new Cabinet comprising allies of the country’s ousted leader Gotabaya Rajapaksa, despite earlier promises to form a unity government with opposition members.
The new cabinet of the Sri Lankan government has been formed, and except for one post, all have been filled by former ministers.
Of the cabinet positions, only the post of Foreign Minister changed. Previously, G.L. Paris held the position. He was replaced by former Finance Minister Ali Sabri.
The current Defense Minister and Finance Minister responsibilities will be held by President Ranil Wickremesinghe, while home Affairs responsibilities will be taken over by Prime Minister Dinesh.
Wickremesinghe, a former prime minister holding the finance portfolio under Rajapaksa, won a vote in parliament to complete the former leader’s term and was sworn in on Thursday, amid protests which were violently dispersed by security forces on Friday night.
The violence overshadowed a Friday morning ceremony during which he appointed Dinesh Gunawardena as Prime Minister.
Hours after Gunawardena’s appointment, the new 18-member Cabinet was sworn in.
Meanwhile, both the new president and his Cabinet have been rejected by protesters who since March have been taking to the streets of Colombo and across the country despite continuous announcements of a state of emergency and the deployment of troops to secure order.
The new cabinet of the Sri Lankan government has been formed, and except for one post, all have been filled by former ministers.
Of the cabinet positions, only the post of Foreign Minister changed. Previously, G.L. Paris held the position. He was replaced by former Finance Minister Ali Sabri.
The current Defense Minister and Finance Minister responsibilities will be held by President Ranil Wickremesinghe, while home Affairs responsibilities will be taken over by Prime Minister Dinesh.
Wickremesinghe, a former prime minister holding the finance portfolio under Rajapaksa, won a vote in parliament to complete the former leader’s term and was sworn in on Thursday, amid protests which were violently dispersed by security forces on Friday night.
The violence overshadowed a Friday morning ceremony during which he appointed Dinesh Gunawardena as Prime Minister.
Hours after Gunawardena’s appointment, the new 18-member Cabinet was sworn in.
Meanwhile, both the new president and his Cabinet have been rejected by protesters who since March have been taking to the streets of Colombo and across the country despite continuous announcements of a state of emergency and the deployment of troops to secure order.
