Mahinda Rajapaksa has pledged to continue to engage in Sri Lankan politics, in a statement released on Wednesday.

The former president, who was defeated in this week's parliamentary elections, said he "humbly accepts" the results of the poll.

The UK will remain committed to delivering reconciliation and peace across Sri Lanka said the British Foreign Secretary whilst congratulating Ranil Wickremesinghe on his election as prime minister.

The Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond, in a statement made on Wednesday, said, 

The UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon, welcoming "peaceful elections" called on Sri Lanka’s new government to “make further progress” on issues of accountability and reconciliation.

In a statement released on Tuesday the Secretary general said,

The head of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) party in Tamil Nadu urged Sri Lanka’s newly elected parliament to find a permanent solution to the issues faced by Tamils on the island, reports Times of India.

Noting that the 16 seats secured by the Tamil National Alliance would be influential in Sri Lanka’s parliament, M Karunanudhi, said,

The US State Department spokesperson John Kirby, welcomed Sri Lanka’s new parliament  and commended Sri Lanka’s peaceful parliamentary elections.

In a press briefing on Tuesday Mr Kirby, said,

“The United States looks forward to working with President Sirisiena, the prime minister, and the new government.”

Fitch Ratings, a global economic rating agency, called on Sri Lanka’s new government to offer greater clarity over its economic policy on Wednesday.

Commenting on the election of a new government, the Fitch Ratings press release said,

“The establishment of a new government with a clear electoral mandate following parliamentary elections on 17 August, should mitigate some political uncertainty, though the direction of economic policy and the stability of the likely coalition remain unclear.”

The governor of Sri Lanka’s Central bank, Arjuna Mahendran, told the Financial Times that he would double foreign exchange reserves as the first step towards full currency liberation.

Labelling existing restrictions on the Sri Lankan rupee as “draconian” Mr Mahendran said the new government would seek to implement new legislation that looked to “slash” exchange controls via new legislation.

Speaking to the Financial Times Mr Mahendran said,

The Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL) has rejected a report by UK based charity Freedom From Torture, which detailed cases of torture that continues under the present Sri Lankan government.

“We cannot accept such claims,” said the Legal Secretary and Media Spokesman of the HRCSL Nimal Punchihewa.

“HRCSL officials visit Sri Lankan prisons on regular basis but no incident of torture has been reported and we have not received any complaints,” he added.

He went on to tell The Sunday Leader that HRCSL officials visit prisons once a month and denied they had received complaints of torture. He also denied arrests were continuing to take place under the Prevention of Terrorism Act.