High level European Union delegation visits Eastern Province

Inaugurated waste management project in Chenkalady and a health clinic in Kattankudy; met dairy farmers in Chenkalady, Batticaloa district

The EU Ambassador to Sri Lanka

The Ambassador of the European Union, Tung-Lai Margue, Members of the European Parliament, together with the Director and Representative of UNOPS, Francoise Jacob, Chief Minister of the Eastern Province Z.A. Nazeer Ahamed and Government Agent PSM Charles officially inaugurated the newly built Cluster Engineered Landfill in Chenkalady. The event also witnessed the handing over of the facility to the Provincial Council and local authorities. 

The landfill built at cost of over Rs. 275 million, is an important component of the integrated solid waste management system being implemented in Batticaloa district. Technical and operational support for this initiative has been provided by the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) with funding from the European Union. The facility also includes a composting plant within the premises for processing of biodegradable waste. The landfill and larger waste management system is set to benefit more than 400,000 people in the district. Further, Ambassador Margue together with the UNICEF Deputy Representative Dr. Paula Bulancea, Minister of Rehabilitation and Resettlement M.A.M. Hizbullah and Government Agent PSM Charles inaugurated a newly constructed Health Centre at Kattankudy. The centre will provide vital healthcare including maternal and child nutrition services to nearly 54,000 people in the Kattankudy area and neighbouring communities. 

UNOPS Programme Manager explains the landfill project to the dignitaries.tif

The initiative, which has also been funded by the European Union has been implemented by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), and will help to meet the most essential health needs of the community.   

In addition, the high-level EU delegates together with Nina Brandstrup, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) Representative for Sri Lanka and Maldives and officials from the Department of Animal Production and Health, visited dairy farmers in the Batticaloa district. The aim of the visit is to assess the impacts of improved dairy management practices and breeding techniques introduced for small scale dairy farmers by FAO under the EU- Support to District Development Program. 

The project is providing support to a total of 480 dairy farmers in the Northern and Eastern Provinces of Sri Lanka including 40 farmers in the Batticaloa district. The objective is to boost milk production in the provinces by increasing the milk yield to more than 5 litres per cow per day. This is being done by assisting farmers to construct cattle sheds and establish fodder units, and through training on business planning and capacity building, thereby ensuring sustainable livelihoods for small scale dairy farmers.

Jointly implemented by five agencies of the United Nations namely UNDP, UNICEF, UNOPS, FAO and ILO, and IFC, EU-SDDP is a European Union funded development cooperation program with a total financial envelope of EUR 60 million. Its objective is to contribute to poverty reduction and livelihood development in seven districts in the North and East to bridge the socio-economic gap with the rest of the country. The program supports the conflict-affected districts of Batticaloa, Mannar, Vavuniya, Ampara, Monaragala, Anuradhapura and Puttalam impacting half a million people. 

The Ambassador of the EU to Sri Lanka addressing the official handover ceremony.tif