Sri Lanka donor list headed by Japan, Russia, China

Lanka Business Online
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Sri Lanka has received the most aid commitments from Japan in the first four months of 2010 with 421.8 million US dollars, Russia came a surprise second with 300 million US dollars and China third, official data showed.In 2009 China became the top country to commit aid to Sri Lanka lining up 1.2 billion US dollars out of 2.2 billion US dollars offered by lending agencies and donor countries to the island.

In the first four months of April China had committed 293.5 million US dollars with 190 million US dollars for an airport in Sri Lanka's south and 102 million US dollars for rolling stock for Sri Lanka railways.

Russia's 300 million US dollars is a credit line. Media reports have said earlier the Russian loan was for military hardware and repairs.

The World Bank had committed 179 million US dollars for rural roads and rehabilitation of former war torn areas, the finance ministry report said.

Iran had also committed 111 million US dollars to expand power distribution.

Among actual disbursements, Japan again led the list with 121.5 million US dollars of which 6.5 million US dollars were grants.

China gave 110.9 million US dollars. The Asian Development Bank gave 74.7 million US dollars of which 9.4 million US dollars were grants.

The World Bank disbursed 41.0 million US dollars of which 4.7 million were grants. The European Commission gave 3.7 million US dollars in grants and UN agencies 1.5 million.

The Netherlands disbursed 24.1 million US dollars and France 19.5 million US dollars.

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