Washington, Dec 7 : The International Monetary Fund said its immediate focus is Sri Lankaâ??s request for emergency financing, even as the United States deployed Air Force C-130J aircraft and an expert airlift team to support relief efforts following Cyclone Ditwah.

â??In light of the Sri Lankan authoritiesâ?? request for emergency financing, IMF Board consideration of the Rapid Financing Instrument (RFI) request is the priority at the current juncture,â?? an IMF spokesperson said.

â??An IMF team will visit Sri Lanka in early 20206 to resume discussions for the completion of the Fifth Review of the Extended Fund Facility (EFF). The support under the RFI is in addition to Sri Lankaâ??s EFF access.â??

As the financing discussions advanced, the Trump administration moved quickly to bolster Sri Lankaâ??s humanitarian response.

â??The United States is stepping up for Sri Lanka. US Air Force C-130Js and an expert airlift team are on the ground to support Cyclone Ditwah reliefâ??moving critical supplies nationwide alongside @AirForceLK,â?? the State Departmentâ??s Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs said. â??America is helping Sri Lanka reach its most devastated communities quickly and effectively.â??

US Ambassador to Sri Lanka Julie Chung said she welcomed the arriving personnel at Katunayake Air Base. â??At Katunayake Air Base today, I welcomed US Air Force Airmen in two C-130J Super Hercules aircraft deployed by US Indo-Pacific Command @INDOPACOM to support Sri Lankaâ??s Cyclone Ditwah response,â?? she said.

â??The @USAirForce is here to do some heavy liftingâ??bringing American airlift & logistics expertise to help move relief supplies quickly to affected communities around the country alongside Sri Lankan partners," she added.

The US Embassy in Colombo noted that â??an expert team from the @usairforce has flown in with C130s to provide logistics and airlift supportâ??they will help Sri Lanka continue to deliver critical humanitarian assistance to the islandâ??s most devasted communities.â?? It added that longstanding cooperation and joint training with the Sri Lankan armed forces â??strengthens our shared ability to respond quickly and effectively in times of crisis.â??

Cyclone Ditwah has caused significant flooding and infrastructure damage across several regions, intensifying pressure on Sri Lanka as it navigates an IMF-backed economic stabilization program.

/IANS