2-day programme for government officers on disaster resilience for MSMEs, external support to re-establish their business and Business Continuity Planning

It is my great pleasure to be here with you at the opening session of the 2-day programme for government officers on disaster resilience for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises. This programme aims to provide support to micro and small-enterprises in the flood-affected areas in Kalutara district by supporting the development and implementation of business refinancing plans, thereby re-establishing jobs and livelihoods. Japan is very honoured to make a financial contribution to this programme.
 
Sri Lanka has been burdened with a series of natural disasters in recent history. As an island nation, Sri Lanka was heavily hit by the tsunami in 2004 and is continuously affected by excessive monsoon rain which cause floods and damage infrastructure and livelihoods. So there exists the growing need for Sri Lanka to develop stronger resilience against natural disasters. We believe that helping local enterprises cope with the impact of disasters such as floods is particularly important for the disaster prevention of the local communities.
 
Japan also suffers from various natural disasters including earthquake, tsunami, and heavy rain. As very important part of Japan’s assistance for Sri Lanka’s economic development, Japan has shared our own experiences, knowledge, and technology through various kinds of assistance for disaster risk reduction and post-disaster reconstruction.
 
After Sri Lanka was heavily hit by tsunami in December 2004, Japan extended assistance for rehabilitation of roads, water supply and irrigation, and power generation. We also provided for the programme to make concessional loan available to micro and small enterprises affected by tsunami.
 
As for disaster prevention, in 2017, the Government of Japan provided Doppler Weather Radars in grant aid to improve short range weather forecast. Japan will continue to extend assistance to Sri Lanka’s efforts to tackle natural disasters.
 
I hope that this 2-day programme would provide you with a great opportunity to deepen your understanding of how you could help micro- and small enterprises re-establish their business after natural disasters and enhance their resilience against future disasters.
 
Fast but not least, I would like to express gratitude to country director Ms. Singh, the Ministry of Industries and Commerce, the Disaster Management Centre and Kalutara District Secretariat for their cooperation. Thank you very much.