French Ambassador Meets Deputy Minister of Defence to Discuss Disaster and Relief Operations

HE, the Ambassador of France to Sri Lanka, Mr. Rémi Lambert, met the Deputy Minister of Defence Major General Aruna Jayasekara (Retd) at his office in Colombo yesterday (15 December).

During the meeting, the Ambassador and the Deputy Minister engaged in cordial and constructive discussions, with a primary focus on the recent disaster Ditwah that affected several parts of the country and its ongoing relief operations. The Deputy Minister briefed the Ambassador on the coordinated national response led by the Government of Sri Lanka, highlighting the role of the Armed Forces and relevant civilian agencies in disaster management and humanitarian assistance.

The Deputy Minister of Defence underscored the need to strengthen national capacities in disaster preparedness, mitigation, risk management, and technical training. He also emphasized the importance of post disaster recovery initiatives, including settlement planning, irrigation and agricultural rehabilitation, as well as the restoration of road and railway infrastructure.

Ambassador Lambert reaffirmed France's strong commitment to supporting Sri Lanka during this critical period. He noted that France has already extended immediate humanitarian assistance, including the provision of 1,000 emergency relief kits to support resettlement efforts. He further informed that a French military officer specializing in disaster management has arrived in Sri Lanka and will remain for several days to assess ground requirements and engage with the Disaster Management Centre (DMC) and other relevant institutions.

The Ambassador further highlighted France's willingness to assist key national institutions, such as the DMC, the National Building Research Organization (NBRO), and the Meteorology Department in enhancing their technical and operational capabilities Both parties emphasized the importance of drawing lessons from the recent disaster, particularly in relation to rescue operations and institutional coordination.

Discussions were held on addressing disaster response challenges at both strategic and operational levels. It was agreed to conduct a series of workshops covering these aspects to improve preparedness and response mechanisms.

The French Defence Attaché, Regional Civil Protection Attaché, and several other officials from the French Embassy participated in the meeting.