The embattled head of state fled mass protests triggered by his country's worst-ever economic crisis and his resignation was celebrated with firecrackers, slogans and dancing in the capital city.
Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa's resignation will become official on Friday, once the document had been legally verified, the speaker's spokesperson said.Sri Lankan president Gotabaya Rajapaksa submitted a letter of resignation on Thursday, a spokesperson for the parliament speaker said, hours after fleeing to Singapore following mass protests over an economic meltdown.
Mr Rajapaksa submitted his resignation by email late on Thursday and it would become official on Friday, once the document had been legally verified, the speaker's spokesperson said.READ MORE: Sri Lanka president’s attempts to leave country fail, US visa appeal rejected: sources Airline staff on the flight told Reuters the president, dressed in black, flew business class with his wife and two bodyguards, describing him as "quiet" and "friendly".
"We want Ranil to go home," Malik Perera, a 29-year-old rickshaw driver who took part in the parliament protests, said earlier on Thursday. "They have sold the country, we want a good person to take over, until then we won't stop.
Indian security personnel detain an activist during a protest in solidarity with people of Sri Lanka, at Sri Lanka High Commission in New Delhi, India, 14 July 2022.IMF spokesman Gerry Rice told reporters on Thursday that Fund staff were still in contact with technical-level government officials but hoped to resume high-level dialogue "as soon as possible."
Protest organisers handed back the president and prime minister's residences to the government on Thursday evening.
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