Flags of the U.S. and Sri Lanka

Country Strategy

USAID/Sri Lanka: A Three Part Pogram

Through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), the American government remains committed to bilateral assistance to Sri Lanka despite the ongoing conflict and challenging security situation. Given the shifting humanitarian context, USAID has developed a new strategy to deliver assistance to conflict affected populations, focusing in particular on contributing to a positive transformation of Sri Lanka's Eastern Province. In addition, some programs under the 2003-2008 strategy will continue through 2008. USAID will maintain its commitment to the successful completion and handing over of its tsunami reconstruction program by the end of 2008.


The current USAID program is divided into three parts:
  • Implementation of the strategy on Economic and Social Transition (EAST), focusing on assisting the positive transformation in the Eastern Province and adjoining districts by developing the regional economy, strengthening local governance, and increasing citizen participation;
  • Complete and hand over the $134 million Tsunami Reconstruction Program, including reconstruction of the Arugam Bay Bridge, reconstruction or rehabilitation of nine vocational schools, upgrade of three fishing harbors damaged by the tsunami, construction of 88 play parks for children, and small livelihoods and infrastructure grants;
  • Follow up and complete of programs under the 2003-2008 strategy, including Democracy and Governance, Economic Growth, Humanitarian Assistance, and Peace Building activities.

Economic and Social Transition (EAST)

USAID wants to build on more than 50 years of friendship with Sri Lanka to help the country end its long conflict, strengthen its democracy, and promote economic prosperity and free markets for the benefit and enjoyment for all its citizens. The new USAID strategy for Economic and Social Transition (EAST) is assisting the positive transformation in Sri Lanka’s Eastern Province by contributing to the development of the regional economy, strengthening local governance, and increasing citizen participation. The strategy is based on the premise that economic growth can contribute to building social and economic security to help establish conditions conducive to a political solution through focusing on regional needs while also working at the national level, from which many of the most critical democracy, governance and conflict mitigation issues emanate. The strategy addresses economic disparities by expanding economic and democracy-building activities in and around the conflicted-affected areas in Sri Lanka’s East, and in the poorest districts in the country on the border of conflict areas.

 

Through regional field offices, the strategy engages with people who are most at risk. It focuses on private sector competitiveness, workforce development, economic revitalization via micro-enterprise, and financial sector services among all three principal ethnic groups in Sri Lanka. The strategy avoids activities that might serve to legitimize government bodies with compromised constitutional status or a questionable adherence to democratic principles.