Sri Lanka’s bilateral security and defence relationship with the US continued to grow in 2016

Washington, DC: Although Sri Lanka’s counterterrorism cooperation and training with the United States in 2016 was limited, the bilateral security and defence relationship continued to grow, a US report on global terrorism released Wednesday said.

The 2016 Country Report on Terrorism released by the Bureau of Counterterrorism of US Department of State says border security remained a significant issue for the Sri Lankan government and the government expanded its partnership with the US Departments of State, Homeland Security, Defence, and Energy on securing its maritime border.

According to the report, the US Coast Guard, under the Department of State’s Export Control and Related Border Security program, continued to train Sri Lankan Coast Guard and Navy personnel on border and export control matters, and the Government of Sri Lanka continued to cooperate with US Customs and Border Protection through the container security initiative, mega ports, and related initiatives.

The US report said Sri Lanka’s law enforcement capacity was robust and continually improving, and its political leadership has launched a broad modernisation effort. Interagency cooperation and information sharing is strong, with specific plans to respond to attacks on some soft targets. Law enforcement leadership has recognised the need for improvement and actively sought assistance to raise capacity up to western standards, particularly in modernisation of police computer systems and new technology. Leadership eagerly seeks out any opportunity to send officers to specialised training courses, it said. Regarding the Financing of Terrorism the report said although it is neither an important regional financial centre nor a preferred centre for money laundering, Sri Lanka remains vulnerable to money laundering and terrorist financing. Sri Lanka has criminalised terrorist financing in accordance with international standards.