Development and peace building go hand in
hand- Akio Suda
[March 3, 2006 - 9.15 GMT]
“A
violence free Sri Lanka will invite more development assistance and
investment from all over the world, strengthen the financial position of
the country and activate further reconstruction in the North and East”,
said Japanese Ambassador Akio Suda, stressing that development and
peace-building should go hand in hand.
Yesterday the Government of Japan announced its 37th Official
Development Assistant loan since 1965 to Sri Lanka for three projects,
namely, Galle Port Development (14,500 million yen), Infrastructure
Development of Eastern Province (4,460 million yen), and Tourism
Resources Improvement (2,600 million yen). The loan is via JBIC (Japan
Bank For International Cooperation).
Speaking
at the press conference at his official residence in Colombo, Ambassador
Suda said Japan was ready to continue helping Sri Lanka but said it was
important for the Government and the LTTE to work closer to realize the
non-violent process of peace and that a consistent development policy,
necessary reform and sound financial management were essential.
Japan is
the single largest donor to Sri Lanka in terms of the total amount of
assistance since 1986, and Sri Lanka is one of the largest recipients of
per head assistance from Japan in the world. Japan has been extending
financial and technical assistance towards socio-economic development of
the island since the 1970’s.
Said the
Ambassador “...even in the latest years when the peace process stalled,
Japan continuously provided large scale of development assistance to Sri
Lanka, because we knew that the need to develop the whole country never
ceased. In the same period, Japan continued to assist humanitarian and
rehabilitation projects in war affected areas in the North and East,
because we believed that actual rehabilitation and improvement of
socio-economic life of those who suffered would be one of the best
advocates of the peace process.”
Earlier
this week Japan together with the other
Co-Chairs of the Tokyo Donor Conference welcomed the outcome of the
Geneva talks between the GOSL and the LTTE held last month.
PRINT
THIS STORY
Contact Information: Send mail to gosl@presidentsl.org with questions or comments about this web site.
Last Updated
Date: March 3, 2006 - 9.15 GMT |
