Acting British High Commissioner Theresa O’Mahony visited Jaffna on Saturday, 13 December to support the distribution of UK aid in the North of Sri Lanka following Cyclone Ditwah.
Supported by US Air Force C-130 Super Hercules aircraft, the Acting High
Commissioner was joined by US Deputy Head of Mission Jayne Howell and Australian
High Commission humanitarian expert Laura Nicholson to deliver UK, US and Australian aid. Working alongside Sri Lanka Air Force ground support units UK aid was transferred to UNOPS Sri Lanka and Vriddhi partners for delivery to affected communities in Mannar, Trincomalee, and Mullaitivu. The British High Commission team also joined UNOPS Sri Lanka and Vriddhi in distributing UK Aid to affected communities in Mannar.
The UK has pledged £ 1 million ($ 1.32 million) towards relief efforts, through the International Federation of the Red Cross C Red Crescent Societies, UNOPS Sri Lanka, Vriddhi, and other humanitarian partners.
In addition to UK aid delivered on the ground, the UK is also contributing through global funds including the UN’s Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF). CERF announced an allocation of $ 4.5 million (Rs. 1.38 billion) to support Sri Lankans affected by Cyclone Ditwah. The UK is CERF’s largest overall donor, contributing £ 52 million in 2024 and over $ 1.9 billion in total.
As Sri Lanka recovers from the devastating impacts of Cyclone Ditwah, UK Aid continues to reach communities across the country to deliver life-saving support and early recovery assistance.