Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa on Monday extended an invitation to all political parties to join the government to find solutions to the ongoing crisis in the country.
The invitation came hours after cabinet ministers resigned from their posts.
In a statement, the President's Media Division said that the current crisis was a result of several economic factors and global developments and Sri Lanka should find solutions within a democratic framework.
"Considering this a national need, the time has come to work together for the sake of all the citizens and the future generations. The president invites all political parties representing in the parliament to come together to accept ministerial portfolios in order to find solutions to this national crisis," the statement said.
Sri Lanka's Central Bank Governor Ajith Nivard Cabraal also tendered his resignation to President Rajapaksa on Monday. Sri Lanka has for days been facing public protests calling on immediate measures to be taken by the government to solve the economic crisis. A state of emergency was declared in Sri Lanka on Friday and a 36-hour curfew came into place on the evening the next day which was lifted Monday morning.
Gotabaya Rajapaksa on Monday swore in four ministers into the new cabinet, hours after cabinet ministers tendered their resignations amidst a severe economic and political crisis in the nation.
Officials from the President's Office said that former Justice Minister Ali Sabry was sworn in as the new finance minister while G.L. Peiris was sworn in as the foreign minister, Dinesh Gunawardena as the education minister and Johnston Fernando as the highways minister.
More ministers will be sworn into the cabinet in the coming days if the opposition parties agree to form a united government, government officials said.
Sri Lanka has for days been facing public protests calling for immediate measures to be taken by the government to solve the economic crisis, hours-long power cuts and shortages in fuel and other essential supplies.
Sri Lanka's cabinet ministers offered to resign from their positions on Sunday night in response to calls from increasing protests amid economic instability and a severe fuel shortage in the South Asian country.
On Monday, President Rajapaksa extended an invitation to all political parties to join the government to find solutions to the ongoing crisis.