Cameron meets Sirisensa, offers £6.6m over 3 years

Saturday, 28 November 2015 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Britain will give Sri Lanka £6.6m over three years to help the battle-scarred country continue its recovery from a long civil war, the Independent reported.

The offer was made when UK PM David Cameron met President Maithripala Sirisensa at the Commonwealth summit in Malta yesterday.

The British Prime Minister said: “Britain is committed to standing up for those affected by Sri Lanka’s civil war. This £6.6m funding is part of a long-term UK commitment to supporting stability and prosperity in Sri Lanka.”

The money will be backed up by a non-resident defence attaché and access to British armed forces training to help with military reform. The aid will also help people displaced from their towns and villages during the bloodshed to return home.

The LTTE was defeated six years ago after decades of war, but there have been serious concerns over alleged human rights abuses. The new President, Maithripala Sirisensa, has pledged major reforms, including a crackdown on corruption.