The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has committed to expanding its development initiatives in Sri Lanka, according to the President’s Media Division (PMD). The Foundation’s pledge includes financial, technical, and advisory support for a range of projects aimed at advancing the country’s development priorities.
A high-level meeting to discuss these initiatives was held yesterday at the Presidential Secretariat. The discussion was chaired by Labour Minister and Deputy Minister of Economic Development, Professor Anil Jayantha Fernando, and involved officials from the Foundation.
During the meeting, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation expressed its readiness to assist Sri Lanka in addressing critical challenges and achieving its development goals.
As part of this commitment, the Foundation has agreed to support nutrition-related projects, including school meal programs for children, and to assist in modernizing the country’s agricultural sector.
The projects will also focus on digitisation efforts, livestock development, and enhancing Sri Lanka’s climate adaptation strategies.
The PMD further stated that Chanditha Samaranayake, an independent consultant for the Foundation, met with Secretary to the President Nandika Sanath Kumanayake in Colombo to discuss these initiatives in greater detail.
The discussions covered a broad spectrum of topics, such as the upliftment of agriculture, improving children’s nutrition, human resource development, and the importance of digitisation in combating corruption.
Samaranayake highlighted that digitisation is crucial for implementing the new government’s anti-corruption policy and assured that the Gates Foundation is ready to provide financial, technical, and advisory support for these digital transformation projects.
Global Health Strategies, a program established by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation in partnership with the local organization Connect to Care, has already set up a Program Support Unit within the President’s Office during the previous administration.
This unit provides policy guidance, monitors government programs, and coordinates with international organizations such as the International Monetary Fund’s Comprehensive Funding Facility, the World Bank’s Development Policy Operational Program, and the Asian Development Bank’s Policy Assistance Programs.
The Foundation’s involvement also extends to creating data systems for agriculture, strengthening digital public infrastructure, and supporting Sri Lanka’s climate adaptation efforts. These initiatives aim to enhance the country’s resilience to environmental challenges and modernize critical sectors.
The government has sought the Gates Foundation’s support in advancing these sustainable projects and underscored the need for collective global action to address pressing environmental issues.
Sri Lanka’is committed to playing a constructive role in global efforts to tackle climate change and sustainable development.
The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation’s renewed engagement with Sri Lanka reflects its dedication to supporting the country’s long-term development goals. By focusing on nutrition, agriculture, digitisation, and climate adaptation, the partnership is set to make a significant impact on Sri Lanka’s progress.
