News
KOICA’S second batch of volunteers arrives here for WFK programme
The second batch of KOICA Volunteers arrived in Sri Lanka, on Tuesday (26), as a part of the KOICA World Friends Korea Programme (WFK) after it was discontinued in 2019 due to the Easter Sunday tragedy. The programme was resumed in June where four KOICA Volunteers served their assignments at the selected partner organisations.
The seven volunteers will be dispatched to the Sri Lanka Korea National Vocational Training Institute in Orugodawatta, National Youth Service Council in Maharagama, Sujatha Vidyalaya Matara, The Open University of Sri Lanka, The Buddhist & Pali University of Sri Lanka, Technical College Matara and KOICA-Matara Friendship Education Center, Matara. The targeted fields of volunteer engagement have been directed towards Korean Language, Machine Engineering, Western Music and Beauty & Saloon. The program is aimed to share Korean volunteers’ knowledge and experiences with the students of the above mentioned organizations and ultimately to make a change in the community. The volunteers will be dispatched to their respective partner organizations on 27th of October 2023 after the completion of their local adaptation training in Colombo.
This is the second batch of KOICA volunteers that have been deployed towards the partner organizations in 2023, while introducing new focused volunteer fields in alignment with the SDG goals and the Sri Lankan government priorities. Based on the 2023 Demand Survey that was conducted by KOICA, it is evident that there is a pressing need to enhance the technical cooperation through the volunteer program.
The Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), the grant Aid division of the Embassy of Republic of Korea is the Korean government agency for grant aids under the mission of “Leave no one behind with People-centered Peace and Prosperity.” KOICA Sri Lanka Office has been implementing its volunteer programs and variety of development projects and fellowship programs since 1991 and currently supporting various grant projects including COVID-19 response projects to fight against COVID-19 in Sri Lanka in conjunction with the Sri Lankan Government, Korean NGOs, and International Organizations. KOICA Sri Lanka Office is particularly keen to put more efforts to support the most vulnerable in society to overcome the current crisis.
News
Cabinet nod to increase the number of new automated passenger clearance gates at the Bandaranayake International Airport to 12
Approval of the Cabinet of Ministers was granted at their meeting held on 19.05.2025 to purchase four (04) automated passenger clearance gates for Bandaranayake International Airport.
In addition, it is expected to extend the automated passenger clearance gates facility so far given only to the Sri Lankans
parallel to the e – passport issuance system to be introduced in the year 2027 also to the foreigners who travel to and from this country.
Furthermore, considering also the number of air passengers rapidly increasing with the fast – forwarding business and tourism field, the appropriateness to increase the total automated passenger clearance gates up to twelve (12) in number has been recognized.
Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers, approved the resolution furnished by the Minister of Public Security and Parliamentary Affairs to initiate the procurement and installation of 12
automated passenger clearance gates altogether with the already approved four (04) and another eight (08) automated passenger clearance gates adhering to the formal procurement procedure
Based on the observations submitted by the Task Force on Prevention of Money Laundering and Financing for Terrorism, approval of the Cabinet of Ministers was granted at their meeting held on 18.12.2024 to amend the Trust Ordinance No. 9 of 1917 including amendments proposed by the Financial
Intelligence Unit of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka.
Accordingly, clearance of the Attorney General has been granted for the Trust (Amendment) Draft Bill formulated by the Legal Draftsman.
Therefore, the Cabinet of Ministers approved the resolution furnished by the Minister of Justice and National Integration
to publish the said draft bill in the government gazette notification and thereby, submit the same to the Parliament for its concurrence.
Action was taken to provide a fuel relief for the fuel consumers during the months of April, May and June of 2026 to redress by minimizing the impact caused to the day today life of the citizens of this country as well as the entire economy due to the price hike of petroleum fuel in the global market resulting from the war situation in the Middle East.
Government mediation is essential for minimizing the impact on the day to today life of citizens in this country due to that war situation not being ended further. Therefore, it has been planned to redress on the sale price for Auto Diesel and Industrial Diesel for a period of 03 months by the Government to provide relief to the public as well as to maintain the prices at a bearable level to the consumers without escalating the fuel prices in this country compared to the escalation of fuel prices
in the international market.
Therefore, the Cabinet of Ministers granted approval for the resolution furnished by the President in his capacity as the Minister of Finance, Planning and Economic Development to
allocate provisions subject to the monthly limitations respectively as rupees 15 billion for the month of October, rupees 13.5 billion for the month of November and rupees 12.15 billion for the month of December to provide the said relief
Cabinet nod to increase the number of new automated passenger clearance gates at the Bandaranayake International Airport to 12
Draft Bill for amending the Trust Ordinance
Implementing further relief programme to Public sffected by the Middle East conflict situation
Establishment of a Spectrum Management and Monitoring System and a Quality of Service and Quality of Experience System for the Telecommunications Regulatory Commission of Sri Lanka
Appointment of a Committee for the Restitution of Sri Lankan Cultural Heritage Held Abroad
Ten-Year National Action Plan on the Social Protection Sector (2026–2035)
‘Dates have the highest sugar content to fight Coronavirus’
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