By: Staff Writer

March 01, Colombo (LNW): Sri Lanka has signed a nuclear security pact with the United States to detect and interdict illicit trafficking in special nuclear material and other radioactive material, as part of the efforts to address the growing global security threats.

The Sri Lankan Navy signed the Memorandum of Understanding with the US National Nuclear Security Administration at the Navy headquarters here on Wednesday.

The MoU was signed in the presence of the US Ambassador to Sri Lanka, Julie Chung and the Commander of the Sri Lanka Navy, Vice Admiral Priyantha Perera, according to media reports on Thursday.

“The U.S.-Sri Lanka partnership in addressing global security threats is ever-growing,” Ambassador Chung posted on X.

The new MOU between the Sri Lanka Navy and the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration will “bolster our joint efforts to prevent illicit maritime trafficking in nuclear and radioactive material,” she wrote.

The MoU addressed bilateral cooperation to detect and interdict illicit trafficking in special nuclear material and other radioactive material through technical and methodological cooperation, including the installation and improvement of technical systems for the detection and identification of such material at border crossing control points of Sri Lanka, media reports said.

By: Staff Writer

March 01, Colombo (LNW): Sri Lanka is to set up a Data Protection Authority (DPA) this year to protect personal data in its major move towards developing digital economy, while taking measures to implement Personal Data Protection Act, and National Cyber Security Act State Minister of Technology Kanaka Herath said.

The government enacted the Personal Data Protection Act recently thereby becoming the first South Asian country to introduce comprehensive data protection legislation providing provisions to establish this independent authority, he revealed.

This data regulator will operate independently and will collaborate with other institutions such as the Central Bank, Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), and the Telecommunications Regulatory Commission of Sri Lanka (TRCSL).

DPA will be entrusted with the task of supervising and regulating public and private institutions data, through investigative and corrective powers under the data protection act.

It will provide expert advice on data protection issues and handle complaints lodged against violations of the General Data Protection Regulation and the relevant national laws.

Forty three public institutions maintain 124 critical national information technology systems that affect the country’s national security, public welfare, economy, and health, he disclosed.

The Government will also be expediting the implementation of Sri Lanka’s first Information and Cyber Security Strategy with a partnership-based approach to protect cyberspace from multinational cyber threats, Technology Ministry sources disclosed.

Defense Cyber Commands’ bill and a separate bill on cyber security laws outside the defense purview are to be presented in parliament to enact it soon with the aim of, combating terrorist groups and criminals using cyber space and electronic communication for anti-social activities.

The State Minister for Technology, Mr. Kanaka Herath, announced that the anticipated National Cyber Security Act will be introduced this year, followed by the establishment of the Cyber Security Authority.

Additionally, the State Minister underscored the preparations made for the Digital Economy Summit scheduled to take place in Sri Lanka by the end of July.

The summit serves as a platform for fostering innovation, collaboration, and investment in digital technologies, thus propelling the country towards a more resilient and prosperous digital economy, he said.

Furthermore, a sum of Rs. 50 million derived from the profits of Sri Lanka Standards Institution (SLSI) was allocated to the treasury in the previous year. In line with President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s proposal, a new initiative has been launched to uplift small and medium-sized industrialists, who constitute 52% of the country’s economy.

This endeavour seeks to empower such enterprises technologically, offering them good manufacturing practice (GMP) and SLSI certifications.

Additionally, plans are underway to facilitate access to low-interest loans through the Asian Development Bank (ADB), with the ultimate goal of guiding these small and medium-sized industrialists into the market.

By: Staff Writer

March 01, Colombo (LNW): The 5th meeting of the India – Sri Lanka Joint Working Group (JWG) for cooperation in the Power sector was held in Sri Lanka on February 28, 2024.
The meeting was co-chaired by Shri Pankaj Agarwal, Secretary, Ministry of Power from the Indian side and Dr Sulakshana Jayawardena, Secretary, Ministry of Power and Energy from the Sri Lankan side. The High Commissioner of India to Sri Lanka, H.E. Shri Santosh Jha also attended the meeting.

The Indian delegation comprised officials from the Ministry of Power, Ministry of External Affairs, National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC), Power Grid Corporation of India Limited, Central Electricity Authority, Central Transmission Utility of India Limited and the High Commission of India in Colombo. The Sri Lankan delegation had members from the Ministry of Power and Energy, Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) and Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

During the meeting, discussions were held inter-alia on the Power grid interconnection between India and Sri Lanka and the Sampur Solar Power project.

In his remarks, Dr. Jayawardena reiterated the priority accorded by the Government of Sri Lanka to joint projects in the power sector between the two countries. Shri Pankaj Agarwal highlighted the progress made by India in the power sector in the past few years.

He underlined the importance of the power grid interconnection project in enabling supply of power from India to Sri Lanka initially, which can reduce costs significantly in Sri Lanka and later to export power from Sri Lanka to India once the offshore wind capacity in Sri Lanka is harnessed.
It was noted that grid interconnection will also encourage power producers in private sector to invest in augmenting power capacity in Sri Lanka, given the huge potential here, with a view to export to India and other countries in the world. Both sides agreed to continue to engage to finalize relevant implementation modalities.

Both sides noted that substantial progress had been made on the Sampur Solar Power project especially after the visit of the President of Sri Lanka to India in July 2023 during which energy permit for 50 MW power plant was granted to the implementing agency, Trincomalee Power Corporation Limited- the Joint Venture between NTPC and CEB. It was agreed that various agreements may be concluded within a fixed timeline with a view to start implementation at an early date.

The two sides discussed avenues for further cooperation in capacity building. The Indian side agreed to extend technical assistance to CEB in areas to be identified by the Sri Lankan side. It may be recalled that the 4th meeting of the JWG was held in June 2019 in India. The 5th meeting of the JWG, held after about 5 years, will impart further momentum to cooperation between India and Sri Lanka in the power sector.

By: Staff Writer

March 01, Colombo (LNW): Japan helps enhance Sri Lanka Coast Guard’s capacity to handle oil spill control, recovery under. Protecting “Safe and Open Seas “programme.

37 Sri Lanka Coast Guard (SLCG) members are now competent enough to handle oil spill control, and recovery, thanks to training and patrol craft and equipment received from Japan.

This was the t third phase of the programme to establish an in-house advanced oil spill incident management training programme at Sri Lanka Coast Guard for disaster mitigation and marine environment protection.

It was mainly intended to inculcate an in-house advanced training capacity system for Disaster Mitigation and Marine Environment Protection of the SLCG under the concept of institutionalisation.

The establishment of a sustainable human resource development system to address oil spill incident in SLCG is an important initiative for Sri Lanka and Indo-Pacific region.

JICA will be continuously committed to protecting the safety of vessel navigation in the Indo-Pacific through the technical cooperation for SLCG in collaboration with JCG.

A team of five Japanese experts of Japan Coast Guard (JCG) comprising two officials from their Mobile Cooperation Team who are specialized in capacity development, two officers from National Strike Team Station in Yokohama who are in charge of oil spill management in a coastal area in Japan, and one officer from Marine Environment Protection & Disaster prevention Division of JCG, conducted the oil spill response training.

JCG and SLCG had the onshore training in Kirinda from 6th to 12th February, and offshore training in Dikovita from 14th to 21st. In the final part of the training, SLCG patrol vessel 501 and 502, which is provided through JICA Grant Assistance in 2018, were used to conduct a comprehensive drill simulating an oil spill incident, utilizing oil fences and other equipment.

Total thirty-seven SLCG officers completed this program. Since the inception of this series of technical cooperation by JICA in 2014, more than 200 SLCG officers have joined the training program held by JCG and JICA.

Phase I commenced in February 2015 and terminated in 2017. It was mainly focused on developing the Basic Coastal Oil Spill Response Skills of the SLCG. This initial training phase was conducted at the Advanced Training Centre-Mirissa by a team of highly qualified JCG oil spill response instructors.

Phase II, which extended from 2019 to 2022, was dedicated to further developing co-competencies in response to the offshore oil spill response by the mobile platforms (ships).

In particular, the SLCG has received two brand new Fast Patrol Vessels dedicated for oil spill response operations along with oil spill response equipment in the year 2018 under the project for maritime safety capability improvement.