The Sri Lanka Preparedness Partnership (SLPP) Steering Committee convened on 21st March 2025 at the Disaster Management Center (DMC) in Colombo for an important meeting aimed at strengthening multi-sectoral partnerships for disaster preparedness and resilience. The session, held from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., brought together 36 participants representing the government, private sector, and civil society organizations (CSOs), with inclusive provisions for both in-person and online participation to ensure subnational representation.
This meeting was co-chaired by Dr. Janaka Hemathilaka, Chief Executive Officer/Executive Director of Janathakshan GTE Ltd., Ms. Manori Dissanayake, Senior Assistant Secretary General of the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce (CCC), and and the newly appointed Director General of the DMC, Major General (Retd) Sampath Kotuwegoda, was formally welcomed as a Co-Chair of the SLPP Steering Committee.
The primary objective of the meeting was to prepare for the upcoming Asian Preparedness Partnership (APP) events, particularly the 9th APP Regional Steering Committee (APPRSC) meeting, which is scheduled to be held in Sri Lanka. In addition, members reviewed the progress of APP Phase III, discussed future directions of APP subgrant activities, and advanced planning for initiatives under the Asian Disaster Readiness Fund (ADRF) for the year 2025.
The session opened with welcome remarks from Dr. Hemathilaka, who offered an insightful overview of recent activities carried out under APP Phase III, including the initiation of ADRF project proposal events. His address was followed by the opening remarks from Major General (Retd) Kotuwegoda, who emphasized the importance of collaborative disaster preparedness efforts. Major General Kotuwegoda called upon all SLPP Steering Committee members to proactively support the implementation of the planned activities under both the APP and ADRF grants.
A key highlight of the meeting was the focused discussion on strengthening SLPP partnerships under Pillar 2. Main discussion areas included the identification and developing of an appropriate SLPP localization model. The three Co-Chairs, representing the government, private sector, and local NGOs/CSOs, steered an informative dialogue on enhancing the National Preparedness Partnership i.e. SLPP, underlining the necessity for greater synergy between stakeholders.
Participants collectively recognized the importance of:
- Increasing collaboration with government agencies
- Engaging the private sector through Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)
- Expanding SLPP membership to include multinational corporations, research institutions, and academia
- Strengthening efforts in strategic planning, communication and branding, multilingual documentation, and volunteer mobilization
- Fostering youth participation and empowering subnational disaster response mechanisms
To facilitate input for the upcoming APP events, a thematic discussion session was led by Mr. Chathura Liyanaarchchi, Director – Preparedness Planning at DMC, Ms. Buddhima Gunarathna, Project Manager at Janathakshan GTE Ltd., and Mr. Asith de Silva, Senior Manager – Social Innovations at Dialog Axiata PLC and Chairman of the ADRF Committee. Their discussion covered:
- Current ADRF project activities and progress
- Subnational preparedness status in Sri Lanka
- SLPP’s best practices in disaster preparedness and response
- Proposed thematic interventions under the ADRF project
In her concluding remarks, Ms. Dissanayake, on behalf of the Co-Chairs, extended her sincere appreciation to all participants for their active engagement and thoughtful contributions. She highlighted the importance of showcasing community level disaster risk reduction (DRR) localization practices, while reaffirming the commitment to ensure the long-term sustainability of SLPP.
The SLPP Steering Committee Meeting exemplified Sri Lanka’s dedication to fostering inclusive, localized, and collaborative disaster preparedness strategies. As Sri Lanka prepares to host the 9th APPRSC meeting, the SLPP continues to stand as a model for whole-of-society engagement in disaster resilience building.
