EU commits €1.8M to Sri Lanka s recovery efforts; Diplomatic corps donates Rs. 3.6M

Minister of Foreign Affairs Vijitha Herath has thanked the European Union (EU) for pledging €1.8 million to help Sri Lanka recover from the recent severe weather. In a message on X (formerly Twitter), Minister Herath said, “Today, I expressed my gratitude to Ambassador Carmen Moreno of the EU in Sri Lanka, as well as the Ambassadors and Representatives from EU countries including Germany, France, Italy, Netherlands, and Romania for their commitment of €1.8 million to support Sri Lanka’s recovery efforts.” He mentioned that some of this EU funding will be sent to Sri Lanka through the Disaster Response Emergency Fund of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, while more assistance will come through the European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operation (ECHO). The Minister also highlighted that the EU is offering in-kind help and experts to assist the government in evaluating infrastructure damage in the affected regions and in conducting future risk assessments. He expressed the government's gratitude for what he called the EU’s timely support and solidarity, emphasizing that this commitment shows the long-standing partnership between Sri Lanka and the European Union. “This commitment demonstrates the strong friendship and collaboration between Sri Lanka and the European Union,” he added. In another post on X, Minister Herath shared that he received a financial donation of LKR 3.6 million from the diplomatic community in Sri Lanka. The contribution was officially presented by the Dean of the Diplomatic Corps, Indonesian Ambassador Dewi Gustina Tobing, along with other representatives, on behalf of the diplomatic community in Sri Lanka.