Sri Lanka post-war rebuilding to get ADB help

Oct 20, 2009 (LBO) - A senior Asian Development Bank (ADB) has visited Sri Lanka to discuss support for post-war reconstruction in the island, the bank said in a statement.





ADB Director General South Asia Department Kunio Senga visited Sri Lanka during October 13 -15 for talks on ADB support to Sri Lanka, especially for rehabilitation and reconstruction of the war-ravaged north and east.

"With the end of the war, Sri Lanka now faces a huge task of reconstruction and development of the North and East; and the need to resettle the (refugees) as soon as possible," Senga said.

"In addition to providing support to facilitate the resettlement and the restoration of livelihoods for the people of the North, ADB expects to play an important role in infrastructure development in these areas.

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Sri Lanka's 30-year ethnic war ended in May when government forces defeated the Tamil Tiger separatists.

The government has said it is seeking foreign support to help rebuild the north and east, where much of the infrastructure is damaged or destroyed and almost 300,000 people are refugees now housed in camps.