Sri Lanka is set to receive USD 350 million from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) within the next two weeks, marking the sixth tranche of the Extended Fund Facility. The announcement came during a high-level donor forum convened by the Ministry of Finance, where international partners reaffirmed support for the nation’s relief and recovery efforts following the devastation caused by Cyclone Ditwah.
The forum brought together diplomatic missions, multilateral lenders, and bilateral partners to coordinate both emergency aid and long-term rehabilitation. The meeting was co-chaired by the Governor of the Central Bank and the Secretary to the Treasury.
Officials highlighted the cyclone’s widespread impact on housing, infrastructure, agriculture, and essential services, emphasizing the need to move from emergency response to a structured recovery framework. Authorities also stressed the importance of external financial support, given limited domestic borrowing capacity.
Development partners pledged immediate humanitarian aid, including emergency healthcare, drinking water, hygiene kits, and medical supplies, and agreed to repurpose loan facilities for medium-term reconstruction of roads, bridges, irrigation systems, and transport networks. The World Bank has begun a rapid post-disaster assessment, with plans underway for a comprehensive damage and needs analysis to mobilize funding for housing, infrastructure, and livelihoods.
