EU allocates €2.35 Million and sends 83 tonnes of aid to Sri Lanka after Cyclone Ditwah

The European Union has provided €2.35 million in humanitarian assistance and delivered 83 tonnes of relief supplies to Sri Lanka to support communities affected by Tropical Cyclone Ditwah.

The financial assistance includes €500,000 channeled through the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) and €1.85 million provided through the EU’s Directorate-General for European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (DG ECHO), working with partners the World Food Programme (WFP) and UNICEF.

In addition to financial support, the European Union has mobilized in-kind assistance through the Union Civil Protection Mechanism (UCPM). The UCPM brings together 37 participating states, including all 27 EU member states, as well as Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Iceland, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Norway, Serbia, Türkiye, and Ukraine.

As part of this mechanism, Sri Lanka received an aid shipment on Wednesday, 17 December, with two air cargo flights arriving in Colombo from Germany, France, and Luxembourg. The shipment included 83 tonnes of essential relief items such as family tents, mattresses, hygiene kits, kitchen kits, beds, and water filters. These supplies will be distributed among the communities most affected by the cyclone.

The arrival of the assistance was welcomed by the EU Ambassador to Sri Lanka, Carmen Moreno, French Ambassador Rémi Lambert, and the Deputy Head of Mission at the German Embassy, Sarah Hasselbarth. On behalf of the Government of Sri Lanka, the donations were received by Sugeeshwara Gunaratna, Director General for Europe and North America at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism, and Chathura Liyanarachchi, Director of the Disaster Management Center.

Italy has also contributed to the response by deploying a team of structural engineers to support Sri Lanka’s disaster assessment and recovery efforts.

Furthermore, the European Union has activated its Copernicus Emergency Management Service in rapid mapping mode, producing around 30 maps so far to support response and recovery planning.

The European Union has reaffirmed its commitment to continued cooperation and support for Sri Lanka’s disaster recovery and rebuilding process, highlighting the strong partnership and long-standing friendship between Sri Lanka and the European Union.