The Central Bank of Sri Lanka hosted the 45th SAARCFINANCE Governors’ Meeting and Symposium during 13-14 June 2024 in Colombo. The event was attended by the Governors, Finance Secretaries, and other delegates from the Central Banks and Ministries of Finance in the SAARC region.

The SAARCFINANCE Governors’ Symposium, themed “Central Banking amid Multi-faceted Global Economic Challenges,” was held on the first day of the event. Honourable Ranil Wickramasinghe, the President of Sri Lanka and Minister of Finance, Economic Stabilisation, and National Policies, graced the inaugural ceremony and delivered the keynote speech. In his address, the President emphasised the importance of strengthening regional cooperation to tackle contemporary economic challenges and promote growth. He also reiterated the need for monetary and fiscal stability and highlighted the efforts being taken to strengthen the legal framework to ensure lasting stability in the country. The Secretary General of SAARC, Ambassador Md. Golam Sarwar also attended the inauguration.

Currently, institutions providing money transfer services in Sri Lanka such as banks and non-bank financial institutions, are regulated by the Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) or other relevant authorities to ensure financial system stability. However, some entities providing similar services operate outside the formal system, potentially disrupting the money transfer system and not being subject to Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) regulatory framework.

To address this, the Minister of Finance, Economic Stabilization, and National Policies issued the Money or Value Transfer Service (MVTS) Providers Regulations, No. 1 of 2024 dated April 20, 2024, under the provisions of the Payment and Settlement Systems Act, No. 28 of 2005. Accordingly, effective from June 3, 2024, these regulations require all MVTS providers to be registered and be monitored, offering unregistered or unlicensed MVTS providers the opportunity to formalize their operations and engage in the money transfer business through formal channels.