An All-Party Conference, chaired by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, to discuss the reciprocal tariffs imposed by the US Government commenced at the Presidential Secretariat today.
Leader of the House, Minister Bimal Rathnayake, yesterday revealed that the meeting had been organized based on a request made by 12 opposition party leaders to meet the President for a discussion on the matter.
The Donald Trump-led US Government recently imposed 44% reciprocal tariffs on Sri Lankan goods under Trump’s revised trade policy, effective from 09 April 2025.
The move, described by the U.S. as a reciprocal measure in response to what it claims are Sri Lanka’s 88% trade barriers on American goods, placed Sri Lanka among the countries facing the highest tariff rates globally.
However, in a surprise move yesterday, US President Donald Trump said he is applying a 90-day pause on new tariffs as his trade war shakes the world economy.
According to the White House Press Secretary, Karoline Leavitt, the pause means a “universal 10%” tariff will be in place for all countries, other than China. (Newswire)