COLOMBO: Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe was sworn-in as the interim President of the island nation on Friday. Chief Justice Jayantha Jayasuriya administered the oath of office to Prime Minister Wickremesinghe.

Earlier in the day, the resignation of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa was officially announced by Sri Lankan Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena.

As one of the oldest democracies in South Asia, the Speaker urged all political parties and citizens to support democratic norms and take the required actions to address the current situation.

On Saturday, July 16, the Parliament will be called into session to receive nominations for the position of President and conduct an election among the 225 MPs.

The Speaker received an email from Gotbaya Rajapaksa shortly after he arrived in Singapore, announcing his resignation.

Months-long demonstrations over food, fuel shortages, and poor economic management rocked the island nation. The crisis-affected nation has over 50 percent inflation.

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