Japan Pledges US$2.5 Million in Emergency Aid for Cyclone-Hit Sri Lanka

The Government of Japan has approved an emergency assistance package worth US$2.5 million to help Sri Lanka respond to the humanitarian impact of Cyclone Ditwah, Japanese officials announced on Tuesday.The funding will be channelled through three international agencies—the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the World Food Programme (WFP) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF)—with a focus on meeting immediate needs, including food aid, emergency shelter and essential non-food items.

Under the allocation, US$1 million will be provided to IOM to support emergency shelter and the distribution of non-food relief items. Another US$1 million will go to WFP to strengthen food assistance for affected communities, while UNICEF will receive US$500,000 to deliver water, sanitation and hygiene services, along with child protection support.Japan also announced plans to extend additional assistance through the Japan Platform (JPF), a framework that coordinates emergency humanitarian responses involving non-governmental organizations, the private sector and the Japanese government. Meanwhile, a team from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) has begun a needs assessment to guide future recovery and reconstruction initiatives.

Reaffirming its longstanding ties with Sri Lanka, Japan said it remains committed to supporting the country during this difficult period and will continue to assist efforts aimed at early recovery and rebuilding in areas impacted by the cyclone.

Cyclone Ditwah made landfall in Sri Lanka on November 27, following weeks of intense monsoon conditions that began in mid-November. According to official figures as of December 16, the disaster has claimed 643 lives, left 183 people missing, and affected an estimated 1.62 million people across the island.