UN appeals for $ 35.3 m to aid Ditwah-hit Sri Lanka

THE United Nations and humanitarian partners yesterday launched a Humanitarian Priorities Plan (HPP) seeking $ 35.3 million (around Rs. 10.9 billion) to scale-up lifesaving assistance for communities devastated by Cyclone Ditwah.

- BY CHARUMINI DE SILVA

The plan aims to support 658,000 of the most vulnerable people between December 2025 and April 2026, as Sri Lanka grapples with what the UN describes as its worst natural disaster in at least two decades.

Speaking at the launch, UN Resident Coordinator in Sri Lanka Marc-André Franche warned that the scale of destruction is "well beyond what we had initially forecasted, with 2.2 million people affected across all districts, with over 600 confirmed dead and around 200 still missing."

The HPP, developed jointly with the Disaster Management Centre (DMC) following last week's needs assessment, targets seven priority sectors including education; food security, agriculture and nutrition; health, protection; shelter, non-food items and camp coordination; water, sanitation and hygiene; and early recovery.

Franche stressed that the plan responds directly to a formal request by the Government seeking international multi-sectoral support. "Some of the Government's support, such as allowances for cleaning damaged homes or rental support, will take time to roll out. This is where the UN and partners are stepping in to cover gaps for the next three to four months," he added.

He said so far, the UN has secured around $9.5 million from its own resources and contributions from Australia, Canada, the European Union (EU), Switzerland, the UK and the US.

"The organisation is now seeking the remaining $ 26 million required for the plan," he stated, adding that the balance will be sought from member States, development partners, the private sector and individuals," Franche said.