The Secretary to the Ministry of Finance, Dr. Harshana Suriyapperuma, has provided an update on the current status of the ‘Rebuilding Sri Lanka’ Fund, established by the government to support reconstruction efforts following Cyclone ‘Ditwah’.
He stated that contributions to the fund from Sri Lankan business entities and citizens have now exceeded Rs. 8.5 billion.
Dr. Suriyapperuma also noted that foreign aid has increased significantly, with the total contributions from other countries now surpassing USD 9.49 million.
Among the international donors, the United States of America has contributed a substantial amount, exceeding Rs. 1 billion, he noted.
The Secretary highlighted that the top ten foreign contributors include Australia, China, the United Kingdom, Germany, Canada, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bhutan, Italy, and South Korea, in that order.
In addition to these countries, a total of 47 nations have extended financial support toward Sri Lanka’s reconstruction, he said.
Dr. Suriyapperuma further emphasized that, alongside monetary contributions, a significant quantity of goods has been received through Sri Lanka Customs, with the total value of goods surpassing Rs. 2.3 billion to date.
