Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism Vijitha Herath briefed foreign diplomatic missions and international organisations on Thursday on Sri Lanka’s ongoing recovery following Cyclone Ditwah.
The Prime Minister thanked all partners for their rapid support during the emergency and noted that the country has now moved from immediate response to full-scale recovery and reconstruction. She said the Government’s priorities include restoring electricity, water, transport, health services and telecommunications across affected districts.
A comprehensive needs assessment is underway with development partners, which will guide rehabilitation plans. The Prime Minister invited international support for key areas such as road and bridge reconstruction, irrigation and canal rehabilitation, safe water and sanitation restoration, and large-scale waste and debris management.
The Director General of the Disaster Management Centre presented an update on conditions in affected regions and early damage assessments.
Tourism authorities and industry representatives reported that major tourist sites—including wildlife parks, marine parks and cultural attractions—have reopened. They said all stranded tourists were safely evacuated and encouraged continued travel to Sri Lanka, noting this would directly help affected communities. They also requested diplomatic missions to update travel advisories in line with improving conditions.
Diplomatic and international organisation representatives reaffirmed their support and outlined ongoing and planned assistance for Sri Lanka’s recovery and reconstruction efforts.
