Japan extends grant assistance for Sri Lanka’s counter-terrorism efforts

Japanese Ambassador Sugiyama Akira on Tuesday presented anti-terrorism surveillance and investigation vehicles to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa at the Presidential Secretariat Office. 

These vehicles are the first batch of equipment donated by the Government of Japan to the Sri Lanka Police for the country’s counter-terrorism efforts in the wake of the Easter Sunday terror attacks in 2019.

Among the dignitaries in attendance at the ceremony were Minister of Public Security Sarath Weerasekera, Inspector General of Police C. Wickramaratne and Senior Deputy Inspector General of Police W.L.A.S. Priyantha, among others.

In addition to the vehicles donated, under this grant aid worth JPY 1 billion (Rs. 1.7 billion), a wide range of essential equipment for enhancing counterterrorism and public security capabilities is to be donated to the Sri Lanka Police and the Airport & Aviation Services Sri Lanka (AASL), including mobile X-ray scanners, walk through safety inspection gates, vehicle chassis safety inspection systems, and patrol craft.

As a longstanding friend of Sri Lanka, Japan is firmly committed to combatting terrorism together with Sri Lanka. Japan renews its deep condolences to all those affected by the Easter Sunday terror attacks in 2019, and strongly hopes that the equipment donated under this grant aid will enhance Sri Lanka’s counter-terrorism capabilities.