Sri Lanka to access over US $ 100mn from World Bank and ADB for Cyclone Ditwah recovery

The Cabinet of Ministers this week approved two major financial proposals to mobilise over US $ 100 million in emergency funding from the World Bank and Asian Development Bank (ADB) to address the widespread devastation caused by the recent Cyclone Ditwah.

The proposals, submitted by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake in his capacity as the Finance, Planning and Economic Development Minister, aim to fund the immediate relief efforts and expedite the long-term post-disaster recovery, following the extreme floods and landslides that impacted the island.

Under the first approval, the government will activate “emergency response components” within the existing investment projects funded by the World Bank Cluster. This mechanism allows the state to redirect funds toward urgent infrastructure rebuilding.

The Cabinet has authorised the government to obtain a total ranging between US $ 92 million and US $ 112 million through this facility. These funds will be directed toward a comprehensive recovery framework, prioritising the rehabilitation of agricultural lands, livelihoods and essential public facilities destroyed by the cyclone.

Separately, the Cabinet approved entering into an agreement with the ADB to receive a US $ 3 million grant, under the Asia Pacific Disaster Response Fund.

The government requested this assistance to restore the life security services immediately following the disaster. The grant is specifically earmarked for supplying the materials required to provide the essential safety and support services to the affected communities.

The funding comes in the wake of Cyclone Ditwah, which the authorities have described as one of the most ferocious natural calamities in the recent past. The extreme weather conditions resulted in severe floods and landslides, causing loss of life, displacement of communities and extensive destruction to the country’s infrastructure.