U.S.-Sri Lanka disaster preparedness exercise strengthens emergency response coordination

Disaster management officials from the United States and Sri Lanka came together, in Galle, from June 16-18, for a three-day workshop focused on strengthening preparedness for natural disasters and humanitarian emergencies.

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Organized by the U.S. Embassy in Sri Lanka, in partnership with U.S. Pacific Command's Center for Excellence in Disaster Management and Humanitarian Assistance (CFE-DM), the Montana National Guard, the Montana Disaster and Emergency Services (DES), and Sri Lanka’s Disaster Management Centre, the workshop builds on the 2025 Memorandum of Understanding between Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Defence and the Montana National Guard. The expert-led workshop culminated in a tabletop exercise designed to test coordination during a realistic emergency scenario.

The exercise challenged participants to respond to evolving disaster conditions, coordinate resources, manage public communications, and make critical decisions under pressure. Drawing on lessons learned from recent disasters, including Cyclone Ditwah, the workshop provided an opportunity for Sri Lankan agencies to exchange practical approaches to the development of coordinated crisis response plans, interagency coordination, and disaster preparedness.