Australia to provide $50M million support for Sri Lanka

Australia will provide $50 million in Official Development Assistance to support Sri Lanka in meeting urgent food and healthcare needs.

The Albanese government announced the  emergency aid to help Sri Lanka through its worst economic crisis, as a senior minister travels to Colombo to stem an increase of boat people attempting to reach Australia.

Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong announced the Official Development Assistance will be provided to “support Sri Lanka meet urgent food and healthcare needs”.

In her statement, Ms Wong said there are “deeper consequences for the region if this crisis continues”.

Home Affairs Minister Clare O’Neil will meet Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and Foreign Minister G.L. Peiris for talks on assisting the country through the crisis, as well as tackling people smuggling.

 “Australia has a close and long-standing relationship with Sri Lanka. Not only do we want to help the people of Sri Lanka in its time of need, there are also deeper consequences for the region if this crisis continues,” the Australian High Commission in Sri Lanka said in a statement.

Australia will contribute an immediate $22 million to the World Food Programme for emergency food assistance to help three million people in Sri Lanka meet their daily nutritional needs.

The country will also provide $23 million in development assistance to Sri Lanka in 2022- 2023 to support health services, and economic recovery, with a strong emphasis on protecting those at risk, especially women and girls.

These contributions are in addition to $5 million recently provided to United Nations agencies for Sri Lanka.