Sri Lanka and the Asian Development Bank have held talks on development priorities and projects for the 2026–2029 period, with an emphasis on making effective use of limited financial and technical resources.
The discussion took place at the Presidential Secretariat and was co-chaired by Secretary to the President Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake and ADB Country Director for Sri Lanka Shannon Cowlin, Daily Mirror reported.
It was held as a preparatory meeting ahead of an ADB programme review on 5 and 6 October, which will focus on implementing the bank’s annual programme for 2027.
What officials discussed
Particular attention went to identifying which development projects should be prioritised for inclusion in the ADB’s longer-term project pipeline for Sri Lanka.
Officials also reviewed:
- Government ownership of programmes financed through ADB assistance
- Coordination between government institutions and ADB procedures, to improve efficiency and project delivery
- Effective use of limited concessional financing and technical assistance
Both sides also discussed what is needed to overcome obstacles to accelerating development and to meeting fiscal targets within the required timeframe, NewsFirst reported.
Additional Secretary to the President W. D. R. Krishantha, Senior Assistant Secretary to the President Dr. Danushka Perera and senior ADB officials also took part.
The ADB is among Sri Lanka’s largest multilateral lenders. It approved a US$ 100 million loan for technical and vocational education earlier this month, and is a partner in the rooftop solar net-metering programme signed last week.
Not reported
Neither report names the priority projects under consideration, gives a figure for ADB lending envisaged over 2026–2029, or says what the fiscal targets referred to are.
