The Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) handed over three vital water and sanitation facilities to the Nuwara Eliya Municipal Council and community members this week (12).

According to the UN-Habitat Sri Lanka, this concludes an impactful four-year, multi-sector, community resilience project in partnership with UN-Habitat and the Government of Sri Lanka.

These facilities were established by UN-Habitat together with the Nuwara Eliya Municipal Council as part of the USD 5.5 Mn KOICA project “Strengthening Socioeconomic Resilience of Communities Affected by the COVID-19 Pandemic in the Central and Uva Provinces of Sri Lanka”.

Implemented by UN-Habitat Sri Lanka from 2022-2026 in Nuwara Eliya and Badulla Districts, the overall project benefited 106,000 people through health, agriculture and water and sanitation interventions. These included the upgrading of 47 field maternal and child health care centres, establishment of 11 community water supply schemes, upgrading of three hospital sewerage facilities, including hospital waste management systems, establishment of 20 polytunnels and 16 rain shelters for farmers, and provision of home gardening support to 200 households.

Deputy Country Director of KOICA Sri Lanka Office, Yunsoo Jeon officially handed over the improved water purification facility in Haddon Hill, the water recycling facility at Lake Gregory and the upgraded community sewerage system at the Srinagar settlement. 

The Mayor of Nuwara Eliya, Upali Wanigasekara, the Senior Assistant Secretary to the Ministry of Public Administration, K.P.K.N. Alagalla, Government Agent, Badulla, Sunil Galagama, Commissioner of the Nuwara Eliya Municipal Council, Bandara, and Country Programme Manager of UN-Habitat Sri Lanka, Harshini Halangode, senior officials from the Nuwara Eliya Municipal Council and the KOICA Sri Lanka office were present at the events. 

Discussing the successful conclusion of the project, Deputy Country Director of KOICA Sri Lanka office, Yunsoo Jeon, said: “This project reflects KOICA’s continued commitment to supporting inclusive, resilient, and people-centred development in Sri Lanka. Beyond responding to the immediate impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, this initiative was designed to strengthen long-term community resilience by improving access to essential services, enhancing institutional capacities, and supporting sustainable livelihoods for vulnerable communities.”

UN-Habitat Country Programme Manager, Harshini Halangode, extended her appreciation to all project partners and community members for their dedication, insights, and commitment towards implementing the project. She further stated, “We are grateful to our funding partner, KOICA. Your timely support made it possible for us to reach vulnerable communities and create impact where it was most needed.”

A lessons learned workshop was also held in Nuwara Eliya on the same day with key project partners and community members to discuss and document the good practices and lessons learned from the project. (Newswire)

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The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has launched a five-year “Sow and Grow” project, supported by USD 10 million from the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), in partnership with the government of Sri Lanka. 

The project aims to strengthen Sri Lanka’s Thriposha programme by boosting the production of high-quality local maize and ensuring a reliable supply of Thriposha for children under five, as well as pregnant and breastfeeding women. 

Thriposha is a fortified supplementary food and a longstanding nutrition safety net for vulnerable mothers and children in Sri Lanka. Sow and Grow will boost local maize production, improve quality and strengthen supply chains for sustainable provision of Triposha. 

The project will support 7,500 farmers, in Anuradhapura, Monaragala and Badulla districts, boosting productivity, promoting climate-smart farming, and cutting post-harvest losses. It will connect farmers with aggregators and Sri Lanka Thriposha Limited for better market access and ensure a reliable supply of high-quality maize, helping lower dependence on imports and mitigate climate-related risks. 

Sow and Grow is projected to enhance nutrition for more than 650,000 children under five, as well as over 330,000 pregnant and breastfeeding women across the country. 

Sow and Grow will be implemented by the World Food Programme in partnership with the Government of Sri Lanka, including the Ministry of Rural Development, Social Security and Community Empowerment, the Ministry of Agriculture, the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Trade, Commerce, Food Security & Cooperative Development, and the Ministry of Finance.

 “KOICA will support the Sow & Grow Project, which strengthens the maize value chain while contributing to the long-standing Thriposha programme that safeguards the nutrition of Sri Lankan mothers and children. 

Through our partnership with the Government of Sri Lanka and the World Food Programme, we aim to support both farming communities and the country’s nutrition security,” said Ms. Lee Yoo Li, the Country Director of the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) Sri Lanka Office. 

This partnership aims to bolster national efforts to strengthen food systems, achieve better nutrition outcomes and support sustainable rural livelihoods. 

“Maize farmers and processors are facing mounting pressures, from climate shocks to market constraints,” said Mr. Philip Ward, WFP Representative and Country Director in Sri Lanka. “That is why ‘Sow and Grow’ is so timely. By reinforcing the food system, we are safeguarding Thriposha as a reliable, locally produced lifeline for mothers and children across Sri Lanka.” 

KOICA has been a long-standing partner of WFP in Sri Lanka, supporting resilience-building programmes for farmers. By investing in strengthening national safety nets, WFP and KOICA are helping Sri Lanka build a more resilient food system, one that protects vulnerable communities while advancing long-term food security and sustainable rural livelihoods. (Newswire)

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An agreement has been signed with the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) to implement a new E-Tax System for the Colombo Municipal Council (CMC).

CMC Mayor Vraie Cally Balthaazar stated that the landmark agreement signed on Thursday enhances transparency, efficiency, and public trust in municipal services.

“We were honoured by the presence of the Country Director of KOICA, the Commissioner of the Colombo Municipal Council, and the Secretary of the Ministry of Public Administration. Their participation underscored the strength of this partnership and our shared commitment to digital transformation and good governance,” she said, in a statement.

CMC Mayor Vraie Cally Balthazaar further said that together, they are not just building a better system, but a stronger and more resilient nation. (Newswire)

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The establishment of a fully automatic revenue generation system for the Colombo Municipal Council (CMC) under the funds of the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) has received Cabinet approval.

According to the government, the CMC generates a significant amount of revenue from the four main sources of assessment tax, license fees, trade tax, and stamp duty. 

The CMC, the Ministry of Public Administration, the Provincial Councils and Local Government, and the Department of External Resources have collaboratively submitted a concept paper to the Korea International Cooperation Agency to enhance the generation of overall revenue through the automation of the aforementioned four main sources. 

The Korea International Cooperation Agency has agreed to provide US$ 8.5 million for this purpose, which has received the clearance from the Attorney General and the agreement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment, and Tourism for this accord. 

Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers has approved the proposal presented by the Minister of Public Administration, Provincial Councils, and Local Government to enter into an accord for the implementation of an automatic revenue generation system for the CMC using the funds provided by KOICA. (Newswire)

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