Sri Lanka banks on tsunami-aid despite Pakistan quake

Tsunami-hit Sri Lanka is still banking on international aid despite donor attention shifting to Pakistan following the devastating earthquake there, the government's aid arm said Tuesday.







Tsunami-hit Sri Lanka is still banking on international aid despite donor attention shifting to Pakistan following the devastating earthquake there, the government's aid arm said Tuesday. A wave of foreign aid after last year's tsunami catastrophe helped Sri Lanka salvage its economy which was troubled by high oil prices and dwindling international reserves.

Sri Lankan authorities said they were hopeful donors would not renege on their pledges amid concerns that the latest tragedy to hit South Asia may shift the aid focus.

"The possibility did cross my mind," admitted Rohini Nanayakkara, the chief executive of TAFREN, the main government arm co-ordinating tsunami relief operations.

"But I am fairly confident that most donors will stick with us.

"

She said most of the prospective donors had already entered into agreements with the government to finance reconstruction efforts.

More than 31,000 people were killed and one million displaced by the December 26 tsunami.

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