The Foreign Ministry yesterday announced said that Sri Lanka had received 1,000 metric tonnnes rice from Myanmar in response to a request made by Sri Lanka’s Ambassador Janaka Priyantha Bandara.China, India, and several other countries and organizations, including the World Food Programme (WFP), donated urgently needed food and other supplies.

According to the statement that dealt with the donation, made by Myanmar, the consignment worth Sri Lankan Rupees 170 Million (approximately USD 463,215) was handed over to Ambassador Bandara by the Myanmar Union Minister for Commerce, U. Aung Naing Oo, at the Asia World Port Terminal, in Yangon, Myanmar.

Accepting the consignment, Ambassador Janaka Bandara extended his gratitude and sincere thanks to the Government and the people of Myanmar forthe generous gesture of donating 1000 metric tonnes of rice to Sri Lanka during a challenging time.

The donation was granted in response to a request made by Ambassador Janaka Bandara when he presented credentials to the State Prime Minister of Myanmar, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, during the credential ceremony, on 7 June 2022, and also in commemoration of the 73rd anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries.The consignment was shipped on 4 September 2022 and the shipment is due to arrive at the Colombo port, by the end of September 2022.