‘NPP taking credit for what was started during previous govt.’

The National Anti-Corruption Action Plan (NACAP) 2025-2029, ceremonially launched by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake on 09 April, 2025, had actually got underway during former President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s tenure, sources said.

According to a joint media release issued by the interested parties, following the launch, also attended by Chief Justice Murdu Fernando, PC, the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery and Corruption (CIABOC)-led project received the financial backing of Japan and the technical expertise of the UNDP.

In response to The Island query regarding the recipients of the funding, exact amounts provided to them and the duration of the project, sources said that the 18-month-long project, implemented by the UNDP, had been launched in March 2024. According to sources, the project was launched with Yen 137 mn made available through the Japanese Supplementary Budget (approximately 931,000 USD) six months before the last presidential election.

New Japanese Ambassador in Colombo Akio Isomata, and UNDP Resident Representative Ms. Azusa Kubota, were among those present at the 09 April launch.

Isomata’s predecessor Mizukoshi Hideaki finalised the agreement with Ms Kubota on 12 February, 2024, to pave the way for the new project, titled ‘The Project for Promoting Economic Governance through Anti-corruption Policy Support.’

Assistance from Japan and UNDP was in line with their efforts to enable Sri Lanka struggling to resolve the economic crisis.

The Japanese Embassy said on 12 February, 2024, that the project sought to (1) strengthen legal and policy frameworks; (2) improve coordination among key institutions combating financial and tax crimes; and (3) enhance strategic institutional and individual skills and capacities around combating anti-corruption through strategic action.

By Shamindra Ferdinando