New Zealand pledges over LKR 180 Mn to help crisis-hit Sri Lankan children

Minister for Foreign Affairs and Local Government of New Zealand Nanaia Mahuta today announced the contribution of NZD 800,000 (approximately LKR 181 million) to UNICEF Sri Lanka to help Sri Lankan children who have been badly impacted by the ongoing economic crisis.

Taking to her official Twitter account, Mahuta said New Zealand continues to work with the international community, including the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank, to help Sri Lanka chart a path towards recovery. Meanwhile, a bilateral meeting took place between Minister of Foreign Affairs G.L. Peiris and New Zealand Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta yesterday on the sidelines of the CHOGM Summit in Kigali, Rwanda.

Minister Peiris briefed his New Zealand counterpart about the staff-level discussions currently taking place with the IMF in Colombo and the support which the country is receiving from bilateral donors as well as multilateral institutions in respect of supplies of food, fuel and medicines.

They also discussed cooperation in ocean-related issues, given the importance both Sri Lanka and New Zealand attach to matters such as climate change, global warming and conservation of ocean resources.