Rs. 1.6 b Japanese grant for security equipment

Finance Ministry Secretary Dr. R.H.S Samaratunga and Japanese Ambassador Akira Sugiyama at the signing ceremony yesterday   

• Funds to purchase equipment for Police and Airport and Aviation Services after Easter attacks

The Government yesterday accepted a Rs. 1.6 billion grant from the Japanese Government to purchase equipment for the Police and Airport and Aviation Services to improve counterterrorism activities in the wake of the Easter attacks. 

The public security in Sri Lanka was threatened by the Easter Sunday terrorist attacks with a huge negative economic impact on the fast-growing tourism sector of the country. 

As an immediate response to the incident, the Government of Japan has agreed to provide a 1 billion Japanese Yen (approximately Rs. 1.6 billion) grant under the Japanese Government’s non-project grant aid scheme for the provision of necessary equipment to strengthen the capacity of Sri Lanka Police and Airport and Aviation Services (Sri Lanka) Ltd. on counterterrorism activities.

Accordingly, the necessary equipment for surveillance and detection will be provided by the Government of Japan to Sri Lanka Police and to the Airport and Aviation Services (Sri Lanka), through the Ministry of Defence and the Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation respectively to ensure the public security and for the safety of air passengers. 

The signing of Exchange of Notes pertaining to the above Grant Aid took place yesterday at the Ministry of Finance.

Finance Ministry Secretary Dr. R.H.S Samaratunga on behalf of the Government of Sri Lanka and Japanese Ambassador Akira Sugiyama on behalf of the Government of Japan signed the above Exchange of Notes.