Informing humanitarians worldwide 24/7 — a service provided by UN OCHA

Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka Multi-Dimensional Crisis Situation Report No. 12 (15 February 2023)

Attachments

This report is produced by the OCHA Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific (ROAP) on behalf of the Sri Lanka InterSector Coordination Group (ISCG). The updates below cover activities carried out between 18 January 2022 and 15 February 2023 and provide an overview of response activities to meet the needs articulated in the Humanitarian Needs and Priorities (HNP) Plan and its subsequent revision.

HIGHLIGHTS

• As of 12 January 2023, 2.8 million people have received assistance through the HNP.

• The HNP concluded on 31 December 2022, however, humanitarian activities continue to be implemented with the funds received under the HNP. Within the transition period between January and March 2023, the Humanitarian Country Team (HCT) is developing a collective strategy to ensure that humanitarian needs will be addressed beyond the transition period, as long as required.

• The country is still in the midst of a multi-dimensional crisis compounded by ongoing, and in some instances deteriorating, food insecurity, livelihoods and protection concerns. Shortages of vital and essential medicines also persist.

• The year-on-year inflation for January according to the Colombo Consumer Price Index (CCPI) was 54.2 per cent, down from 57.2 per cent in December.1 • Food inflation (year-on-year) according to the National Consumer Price Index (NCPI) dropped to 59.3 per cent in December from 69.8 per cent in November.2

• The United States will provide an additional $US30 million to support the provision of school meals in 850 government schools.

• The European Union (EU) will provide approximately $US4.3 million in grants to the FAO, which will be used primarily to purchase fertilizers, seeds, and provide training to the most vulnerable farmers in Sri Lanka.

• Switzerland has contributed around $US800,000 to WFP as well as just over $US500,000 to UNICEF. This money will be used to improve food security and to purchase essential medical supplies respectively.3 4 • Former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon visited Sri Lanka on 06 February on an official visit in his capacity as the President and Chair of the Global Green Growth Institute (GGG) and on the invitation of President Ranil Wickremesinghe. The main purpose of his visit was to strengthen climate-change initiatives.

• Sri Lanka has offered search and rescue assistance to Türkiye following the devastating earthquake that struck both Türkiye and Syria on 06 February.

• India and China’s EXIM Bank have offered assurances to Sri Lanka’s proposed debt restructuring plan to restore sustainability of public debt and allow for IMF approval of a $US2.9 billion Extended Fund Facility. 5 6 • Several demonstrations were held throughout the country protesting the recent tax increases.

Disclaimer

UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs
To learn more about OCHA's activities, please visit https://www.unocha.org/.