The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) yesterday reiterated its readiness to support the socio-economic development needs of Sri Lanka.

This was conveyed by the visiting JICA Director General South Asia Sakamoto Takema to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa during a courtesy call. President Rajapaksa recalled that when he was the Secretary to the Ministry of Urban Development, he was able to successfully implement a number of development projects in collaboration with JICA.

Since 1965, the Government has obtained Japanese Official Development Assistance amounting $ 8,829 million for 120 development projects and Japanese assistance is provided through various schemes such as Yen loan packages, project grant aid, non-project grant aid, feasibility studies and technical cooperation programs. Currently, 14 projects with a total value of $ 2.5 billion are being implemented under JICA loan assistance, mainly under the sectors of power, water supply and drainage, ports, transport, health, telecommunication, and rural development etc.

Explaining the current progress of the development projects, the President said that he expects the assistance of JICA in the areas of agriculture, skills development, health and irrigation for the coming year.

Secretary to President P.B. Jayasundera, Ambassador of Japan in Sri Lanka Hideaki Mizukoshi and JICA Representative in Sri Lanka Yamada Tetsuya were also present at the discussion.

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