EU grants Rs 9 b for Sri Lanka

The European Union will provide Sri Lanka a grant amounting to approximately Rs 9 billion (EUR 60 million) under the European Union- support to District Development programme spanning over 2012 – 2017 said Head of Delegation of the European Union in Sri Lanka Bernard Savage when he met Senior Adviser to the President and Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa together with United Nations Resident Coordinator and UNDP Representative in Sri Lanka Subaine Nandy at the Ministry of Economic Development on Monday.

Under this programme, the projects identified by the Sri Lankan government as priority projects will be implemented by agencies of the United Nations, namely,

UNDP, UNICEF, UNOPS, FAO, ILO and IFC of the World Bank Group with European Union financial assistance.

The European Union envisages- supporting two major components identified in line with the National Development Programme of Sri Lanka notably.

Support – poverty reduction and provision of basic infrastructure and services for vulnerable populations Support to local economic development

Minister Basil Rajapaksa further said since most of the humanitarian development programmes related to Tsunami and post conflict resettlement are completed or nearing completion, the government will allocate foreign funds on the basis of country’s overall economics strategy and national policy.

United Nations Resident Coordinator and UNDP Representative in Sri Lanka Subaine Nandy said the UN and it’s agencies will always cooperate with overall development strategies of the government and extend their assistance in accordance with the requirements of the government. Experience gained and lesson learned from the implementation of the projects can be used to design the next projects he said.

Savage said the European Union was able to provide assistance for the Sri Lankan government and people as indicated by the government and European Union will extend its fullest cooperation for the development of Sri Lanka in future also.

European Union will provide financial assistance to complete the ongoing projects started with European Union funds and it will provide financial assistance amounting to 60 million Euros for the new projects to be started, he said.

Director General - Communication and Development Prof. Sunanda Maddumabandara, Economic Development Ministry Director Monty Ranatunga, Ms. Saroja Sirisena of the Ministry of Economic Development,Mapa Patirana, Director General – External Resources, T. M.J. Bandara, Deputy Director- National Planning Dept., and S. B. Divaathna, Secretary- President Task Force also participated.