The European Commission (EC) will provide €62 million for emergency rehabilitation activities for the nearly 3 lakh war displaced in northern and eastern Sri Lanka, the state run English paper Daily News quoted Vice-Chairman, Development Committee, European Parliament, Nirj Deva Aditya as saying.
Mr. Deva Aditya said the European Commission aid was for long term rehabilitation of the IDPs and was apart from its 2008 budget.
The EU had also released €17 million for the improvement of shelter, health and hygiene sectors in the IDP welfare centres, which is distributed through U.N. organisations, the Red Cross and key NGOs, he said.
In December 2008, the number of IDPs grew by numbers and the E.C. released another €2 million for emergency food aid which was distributed through the ICRC, while another €5 million was released through UNHCR, Oxfam and Save the Children Fund in June.
Separately, Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama told visiting Vice-Governor of the Yunnan Province of China, Gao Feng, that Sri Lanka was keen to increase its diplomatic representation in China. He pointed out that after the consulate in Shanghai, Sri Lanka was also planning to open another consulate in Chengdu by October.
Special relationship
The Foreign Ministry said Mr. Bogollagama referred to the special relationship shared by Sri Lanka and China. He said it was a special “friendship between a small country and a big country” and appreciated the support extended by China in various international and multilateral for a. he also recorded the assistance rendered by China for Sri Lanka’s infrastructure developments such as roads, electricity among others.
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