National committee reviews coordination of foreign humanitarian assistance

18-Dec-2025

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A special meeting of the High-Level Committee appointed to coordinate foreign humanitarian assistance (relief supplies) received following the recent natural disaster has been held.

The meeting took place at the auditorium of the Disaster Management Center in Colombo. The committee operates through a secretariat based at the National Disaster Relief Services Center and is chaired by Deputy Minister of Defence Major General (Retd.) Arun Jayasekara.

The committee is responsible for coordinating, managing, and distributing all foreign humanitarian relief assistance received after the disaster. It oversees the entire relief supply chain, including receipt and verification of supplies, storage, allocation, dispatch, and final distribution to affected communities.

During the meeting, detailed discussions were held on the progress of current relief operations, challenges in implementation, and issues related to receiving, storing, and distributing humanitarian aid.

Special attention was given to the operations of the Orugodawatte relief warehouse, emphasizing the need to improve efficiency, accountability, and coordination among relevant institutions.

The committee also reviewed foreign aid tracking mechanisms that enable real-time monitoring of incoming and distributed relief supplies. The need for ministries and officials to update real-time information was emphasized to ensure transparency and effective coordination.

It was noted that the committee has the authority to request information, summon relevant officials, and issue necessary guidance to streamline relief operations.

Deputy Minister Jayasekara emphasized the importance of timely coordination, reporting, and inter-agency cooperation to ensure humanitarian assistance reaches affected communities without delay.