JBIC Senior Executive Director calls on Foreign Minister

AKIHIKO Furuya, Senior Executive Director of the Japanese Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC), who is on an official visit to Sri Lanka to observe reconstruction work in the tsunami affected areas, called on Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar recently.

Furuya was accompanied by K. Hashimoto, Director General, Development Assistance Department II of JBIC.

JBIC signed two loan agreements with the Government of Sri Lanka for Tsunami Affected Area Recovery and the Vavuniya - Kilinochchi Transmission Line Project for 11 billion Yen last month.

Furuya said that this loan could be used exclusively for relief and rehabilitation work carried out by the Government.

He expressed the hope that the Vavuniya - Kilinochchi Transmission Line Project would help promote the peace process.

Furuya further assured the continued commitment of JBIC for Sri Lanka's efforts on rehabilitation and reconstruction work in the tsunami affected areas.

Minister Kadirgamar thanked JBIC and the Japanese government for the assistance provided for tsunami reconstruction and rehabilitation work, and expressed appreciation that senior officials were sent to observe the progress on Japanese funded projects, said a foreign Ministry press release.