The Government of Japan has provided grant aid of JPY 282 million, approximately Rs. 591 million, to Sri Lanka under the Human Resource Development Scholarship (JDS) project.
Under the programme, 15 Sri Lankan public sector officials will be selected to pursue two-year Master’s degree programmes at universities in Japan beginning in 2027.
The scholarships will cover areas including public policy, international relations and international development, macroeconomics, public finance and investment management, industry development policy and investment promotion.
Japanese Ambassador to Sri Lanka Akio Isomata and Treasury Secretary and Secretary to the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development Dr. Harshana Suriyapperuma signed and exchanged notes related to the grant assistance in Colombo on Aug. 17.
The Japanese Embassy said the programme aims to develop the knowledge and skills of promising young public sector officials and prepare them to become future national leaders in their respective fields.
Since the JDS programme was introduced in Sri Lanka in 2010, it has supported 254 public sector officials.
Japan said the initiative is expected to strengthen both the individual capabilities of participating officials and the institutional capacity of Sri Lanka’s public sector, contributing to the country’s sustainable development.
The programme is also expected to strengthen Sri Lanka-Japan relations by building professional and academic networks between the two countries. (Newswire)