News
U.S. Donates 3,000 metric tons of food to feed Sri Lankan school children
Colombo, 26, August 2022: Today, the United States, through the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and in partnership with Save the Children, received 320 metric tons of split yellow peas to nourish school children across Sri Lanka. The donation is part of a larger one of 3,000 metric tons of food. U.S. Ambassador Julie Chung, the Hon. Dr Susil Premajayantha, Minister of Education, and representatives from the Ministry of Health, the National Planning Department, and Save the Children attended the hand-over ceremony.
“This donation from the American people targets the most vulnerable Sri Lankans – children – and enables them to focus on their schooling rather than on their hunger. Every nourishing meal will be a testament to the U.S.’s commitment to helping all Sri Lankans emerge from the worst economic crisis since the country’s independence,” said Ambassador Julie Chung.
The shipment is part of the USDA McGovern-Dole International Food for Education and Child Nutrition Program, a five-year $26 million project aimed at providing immediate emergency assistance to the food insecure to improve literacy and attendance by reducing hunger. The USDA and its partner Save the Children work with the Sri Lankan government and local communities to ensure food reaches those most in need. Between June 2021 and January 2022 alone, the project, called Promoting Autonomy for Literacy and Attentiveness through Market Alliances (PALAM/A), provided protein supplements twice in the form of split yellow peas and Alaskan pink salmon to more than 105,000 children and their families – more than 460,000 Sri Lankans in total – during COVID-19 lockdowns. As of Mid-August, PALAM/A has provided supplemental nutrition to approximately 50,000 schoolchildren.
The donation reflects the U.S.’s larger efforts to scale up food security operations worldwide to provide record amounts of immediate emergency assistance in order to save lives and alleviate suffering. Food security programs are just one component of the longstanding partnership between the American and Sri Lankan people to support Sri Lanka’s development journey and promote economic sustainability. In addition to ongoing projects PALAM/A, the United States has announced more than $179 million in new assistance to Sri Lanka this year, including nearly $32 million in new humanitarian and technical assistance since June alone.
Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya participated in a high-level dialogue titled “Tourism as Soft Power and Diplomatic Capital” held at the Euronews Hub, Piz Buin Davos, on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum on January 20.
The session explored how tourism functions as a strategic instrument of diplomacy by strengthening international trust, cultural exchange, and regional cooperation through mobility and people-to-people engagement. The Prime Minister shared the panel with Mr. Kuban Omiraliyev, Secretary General of the Organization of Turkic States and Mr. Meshari Alnahar – CEO Aseer Investment Company, Saudi Arabia.
Addressing global trends, the Prime Minister emphasized that Sri Lanka is an example of hope, recovery and resilience in a world of conflict demonstrating how tourism can play a critical role in a changing global environment particularly amid climate shocks, geopolitical instability, and uneven economic recovery. She noted that tourism is not only an economic sector but also a vital diplomatic bridge that supports livelihoods, builds relationships and connects people.
Drawing on Sri Lanka’s recent experience, she highlighted the country’s strong tourism recovery despite multiple crises, including the impact of Cyclone Ditwah. Transparent crisis management and strategic engagement with international partners helped sustain visitor confidence, resulting in record tourist arrivals even in challenging circumstances.
The Prime Minister also underscored the importance of green and climate friendly tourism infrastructure and underlined that Sri Lanka welcomes long term investment in tourism. She pointed out that tourism supports millions of jobs worldwide and that inclusive policies are essential to ensure fair opportunities, particularly for women and vulnerable communities.
[Prime Minister’s Media Division]
During an operation conducted in the dark hours of 20 Jan 26, the Sri Lanka Navy seized two (02) Indian fishing boats and apprehended seven (07) Indian fishermen while they were poaching in Sri Lankan waters, off Kovilan, Jaffna.
The seized boats and Indian fishermen was to be handed over to the Fisheries Inspector of Myliddy, Jaffna for onward legal proceedings.
Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya participated in a series of high-level bilateral meetings on January 20 on the sidelines of the 56th Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos-Klosters, Switzerland.
The Prime Minister attended a productive bilateral meeting with Mr. Jozef Síkela, European Commissioner for International Partnerships. During the discussion, both sides focused on strengthening Sri Lanka–EU cooperation and advancing mutual interests.
Prime Minister Amarasuriya also met with Mr. Masato Kanda, President and Chairperson of the Board of Directors of the Asian Development Bank (ADB), at the WEF Congress Centre. The meeting provided an opportunity to discuss ongoing engagement and future collaboration between Sri Lanka and the ADB.
In addition, the Prime Minister held discussions with Mr. Hassan El Houry, Chairman of Menzies Aviation, where opportunities for collaboration in aviation services and connectivity were explored.
The Prime Minister also participated in a high-level dialogue at the Global Tourism Forum held at the Euronews Hub, Piz Buin, Davos, as part of the World Economic Forum engagements.
Dr. Anil Jayantha, Minister of Labour, and the Deputy Minister of Finance were also present at these meetings.
[Prime Minister’s Media Division]
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