Thursday Dec 18, 2025
Thursday Dec 18, 2025
Thursday, 18 December 2025 06:20 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
Japanese Ambassador Akio ISOMATA (centre) chairs the media briefing along with (from left): IOM Chief of Mission Kristin Parco, UN Resident Coordinator Marc-André Franche, UNICEF Representative Emma Brigham, and WFP Representative Philip Ward
Japanese Ambassador Akio ISOMATA yesterday met Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism Minister Vijitha Herath to convey the decision of the Government of Japan, made on 16 December, to extend an Emergency Grant Assistance amounting to $ 2.5 million to the Government of Sri Lanka.
This assistance will be implemented in partnership with the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), the World Food Programme (WFP) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), in response to the extensive damage caused by Cyclone “Ditwah”.
Through the IOM, Japan will provide an assistance of
$1 million for 615 sets of shelters, including kitchen kits, wash kits, and bedding kits, for the severely affected households in Kandy, Badulla and Kegalle.
Through the WFP Japan will provide an assistance of $1 million in emergency food assistance to support households residing in safety shelters in Kandy, Badulla, Nuwara Eliya, and Kegalle, as four most affected districts. Under this assistance, households will be able to purchase essential food items.
In addition, through the UNICEF, Japan will provide an assistance of $ 500,000 for water, sanitation, and child protection, targeting the severely affected areas in Central, Uva, Eastern, Western, and North Western Provinces. This support will contribute to ensuring safe water and preventing infectious diseases in evacuation centrEs by supplying emergency water and sanitation materials, repairing malfunctions in water supply facilities, and promoting hygiene practices to prevent waterborne diseases.
Minister Herath expressed his deep appreciation and gratitude for this timely assistance, and further commended the Government of Japan for its continued support, including the provision of emergency relief goods earlier through JICA, as well as the dispatch of the Japan Disaster Relief Medical Team.
Ambassador ISOMATA emphasised that these assistance reflects the strong bond of trust and friendship between Japan and Sri Lanka, and underscores Japan’s unwavering commitment to supporting the people of Sri Lanka in times of need. He reaffirmed that Japan stands in full solidarity with the people of Sri Lanka as they face this difficult period.
Following the meeting with Minister Herath, Ambassador ISOMATA held a media briefing session together with United Nations Resident Coordinator Marc-André Franche, IOM Chief of Mission Kristin Parco, UNICEF Representative Emma Brigham, and WFP Representative Philip Ward. The briefing session highlighted Japan’s comprehensive assistance and its close collaboration with the United Nations system in supporting the people of Sri Lanka in need.
