Sri Lanka is set to seek financial assistance from the United Nations’ Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage, as part of its efforts to recover from the impact of Cyclone Ditwah, officials have announced. Chamani Kumarasinghe, the Additional Director at the Climate Change Secretariat of the Ministry of Environment, revealed during a forum organized by Slycan Trust that the country is preparing to apply for support from this fund.

The forum, led by Dennis Mombaue, Director of Research & Knowledge Management at Slycan Trust, was a segment of a six-year initiative in Sri Lanka focusing on climate disasters, financing, and management. Mombaue highlighted the relevance of this forum given the current global landscape concerning climate finance, particularly in terms of resources for loss, damage, and disaster risk finance. “We now have the fund for responding to loss and damage, which has opened its first call for proposals,” he stated.

Rohan Cooray, a specialist with Sri Lanka’s Commissioner General of Essential Services, indicated that the country might secure approximately $20 to $25 million from the fund upon application. (Colombo/Feb01/2026)