Colombo Plan celebrates 74 years of regional cooperation and development

The Colombo Plan for Cooperative Economic and Social Development in Asia and the Pacific marked its 74th anniversary this month, commemorating more than seven decades of regional collaboration and progress.

To mark this milestone, the Colombo Plan hosted a cocktail event on July 17 at ITC Ratnadipa. Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism Minister Vijitha Herath graced the occasion as the chief guest, highlighting Sri Lanka’s longstanding role in advancing the shared goals across the region.

Colombo Plan Secretary-General Dr. Benjamin P. Reyes welcomed the dignitaries at the event and presented the Colombo Plan’s Diamond Jubilee Roadmap, outlining the upcoming initiatives aimed at expanding the Colombo Plan’s impact and increasing visibility of its mission across Asia and the Pacific. 

US Ambassador to Sri Lanka and incumbent Colombo Plan Council President Julie J. Chung provided remarks that emphasised the importance of regional cooperation and burden-sharing in addressing today’s transnational challenges. She noted that collaboration—whether in public health, counternarcotics or port sector capacity building—is more critical than ever. 

Chung also highlighted the ongoing US support for regional maritime security and economic growth, including at key infrastructure points like the Port of Colombo. She emphasised that such efforts not only benefit Sri Lanka and the US but also contribute to a more stable, secure and connected Indo-Pacific region.

The event welcomed the representatives from the member countries, other diplomatic missions, UN agencies and Colombo-based bilateral and multilateral partners, reflecting the broad and inclusive nature of the Colombo Plan’s work.

The 74th anniversary celebration of the Colombo Plan coincided with the successful conclusion of a regional forensic capacity-building training programme. Through the project ‘Upgrading Forensic Lab Capabilities in South Asia’, funded by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs and implemented in partnership with the Centre for Forensic Science Research and Education, USA, a two-week regional training programme was held in Colombo from July 07-18, 2025. The training brought together 17 participants—three each from Bangladesh, the Maldives and Nepal, four from Sri Lanka’s National Dangerous Drugs Control Board (NDDCB) and four from Government Analyst’s Department of Sri Lanka.

As part of this initiative, the US donated RADIAN ASAP Direct Mass Detectors to Bangladesh, the Maldives, Nepal and Sri Lanka. This cutting-edge equipment strengthens the capacity of forensic laboratories to detect complex and harmful drug mixtures in synthetic drugs. 

In Sri Lanka, the RADIAN equipment was handed over to the National Narcotics Laboratory of the NDDCB. The official handover ceremony, held on July 15, 2025, was graced by Public Security and Parliamentary Affairs Deputy Minister Sunil Watagala and US Embassy in Colombo Deputy Chief of Mission Jayne Howell. This milestone marks a significant advancement in regional efforts to combat synthetic drugs. Heartfelt appreciation is extended to all partners and supporters for facilitating the smooth delivery of the RADIAN equipment and contributing to the success of this important initiative.