Courtesy Hiru News

The Japanese government has officially announced the release of funds to resume development projects in Sri Lanka. A press conference was held today (24) at the Ministry of Finance Auditorium, where key figures including Misukoshi Hideyaki, Ambassador of Japan, Tetsuya Yamada, Head of JICA Sri Lanka Office, and Mahinda Siriwardena, Secretary of the Ministry of Finance, addressed the media.

The announcement follows the recent signing of an agreement with the Official Creditors Committee. The Japanese delegation praised Sri Lanka’s successful debt restructuring, which has facilitated the restart of Japanese Official Development Assistance (ODA) projects.

Among the projects poised to resume are the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) Development Project, the Colombo Port Eastern Terminal Development Project, the Central Expressway Construction, and the Digital Broadcasting Project. Additionally, discussions are underway to restart the Light Railway Transit (LRT) project, which was previously halted, with a focus on alleviating traffic congestion in Colombo.

This renewed phase of cooperation is expected to significantly impact Sri Lanka’s infrastructure and development landscape.