France holds first annual consultation on development cooperation with Sri Lanka

The Ambassador of France to Sri Lanka co-chaired with Secretary of Treasury Dr. P.B. Jayasundera, held the first annual consultation meeting on development cooperation recently. The French delegation comprised officials from the French Development Agency (AFD) who came from the headquarters of the agency in Paris and New Delhi regional office as well as the Economic counsellor of the Embassy.

Representatives from several ministries and agencies of Sri Lanka attended the meeting, including Ministry of Defence and Urban Development, Ministry of Water Supply and Drainage, Ministry of Environment and Renewable Energy and Ministry of Power and Energy.

AFD is a public institution in charge of bilateral aid on behalf of the French Government. After financing reconstruction of infrastructures in Trincomalee region in the aftermath of the tsunami, AFD is now willing to fund new projects in Sri Lanka. It will co-finance (€ 35 million) Jaffna and Kilinochchi water supply and sanitation project, on completion of which 300,000 people will have access to water.

The annual consultation meeting provided the opportunity to discuss the next funding by AFD in four priority sectors: water and wastewater, renewable energy, sustainable forest management and integrated urban development.

Many new projects were identified and need to be deeper investigated for US$ 700 million at least. Both parties agreed to work on a fruitful sustainable and equitable development of Sri Lanka.