News & market updates

KIU University established South Asia’s largest caregiving skill lab (over 30,000 sq ft) to train youth with internationally recognised caregiving qualifications and create structured overseas employment pathways. KIU Group also won awards for a Lahugala water project and senior staff received global recognition for international partnerships and ethical recruitment.

ADB launched a $40 million emergency Trade and Supply Chain Finance Program facility to help Sri Lanka import food, medicines and relief supplies after Cyclone Ditwah. The funds, backed by Munich Re and Swiss Re, will be channeled through six partner banks for rapid delivery.

Link Natural Products was awarded Best Exporter – Herbal & Ayurveda Products Category at the 27th Presidential Export Awards for the 2024/25 financial year. Its flagship product Link Samahan is sold in over 30 countries and in major international retail chains.

Amaliya Early Learning Centre marked its 10th anniversary, reporting that 85 hearing-impaired children have transitioned to mainstream schools after participating in its programmes using the Dhvani auditory-verbal methodology. The centre, the only institution in Sri Lanka using Dhvani, offers early intervention and preschool instruction in Sinhala, Tamil and English for ages 0-5.

World Bank Group will make up to $120 million available by repurposing existing project funds to support Sri Lanka's recovery from Cyclone Ditwah, restoring healthcare, water, education, agriculture and infrastructure. The IFC will also provide advisory support and targeted investments to bolster agriculture, manufacturing, logistics and MSMEs.

World Bank is providing $120mn to Sri Lanka by repurposing existing project funds to support cyclone recovery. The emergency support will restore health care, water, education, agriculture and connectivity, and IFC will offer advisory support and investments to agriculture, manufacturing and logistics while a GRADE assessment seeks further financing.

World Bank is making up to US$120 million in emergency support available to Sri Lanka by repurposing funds after Cyclone Ditwah. The support will restore essential services (health care, water, education, agriculture, connectivity) and the IFC will provide advisory and investments to help private-sector recovery (agriculture, manufacturing, logistics, MSMEs).

Hemas Holdings' Hemas Surgicals and Diagnostics, in partnership with Nihon Kohden Singapore, introduced the Cereb Air next-generation EEG at the Sri Lanka College of Emergency Physicians congress and discussed a field study to test rapid seizure diagnosis and potential hospital cost savings.

IFC's South Asia director urged Sri Lanka to rebrand as a green, outward-looking, export-driven investment destination and fix policy predictability. IFC has about $270m in long-term Sri Lanka exposure and is pursuing opportunities in tourism, digital services, agribusiness, renewables, manufacturing, healthcare, ports and finance.

A Vietnamese trade delegation led by Deputy Minister Phan Thi Thang met Sri Lankan officials on 9 December to explore investments in agriculture (including coffee), aquaculture, logistics, textiles, pharmaceuticals and direct flights to support post-cyclone economic recovery.

The Committee on Public Finance endorsed up to Rs. 50 billion in a supplementary estimate for disaster relief to be funded from the Consolidated Fund, other State finances, or government-secured loans for use in the 2025 fiscal year. The Committee also approved VAT Section 71 and NMRA regulations and reviewed the Auditor General’s 2026 audit programme, which adds Samurdhi community-based banks and may require 10–15% more audit staff or outsourcing.

ChildFund Sri Lanka mobilized LKR 15 million in Phase 1 emergency aid after catastrophic floods displaced over 1.1 million people and killed 355. The response focuses on child protection, psychosocial support, education continuity, food security and WASH, with thousands of children impacted or unreachable.

IHH Healthcare supported the College of Cardiology annual session where Dr Sivathasan Cumaraswamy urged patient-centric, preventive cardiology to improve access and outcomes across Sri Lanka. The event emphasized collaboration to enhance training, research and care delivery models.

Hemas Hospital Wattala sponsored SLSG 2025 and introduced Sri Lanka’s most advanced Fibroscan to enable rapid, non‑invasive liver assessment. The hospital also launched the private sector’s first pediatric liver unit and highlighted its multidisciplinary liver centre.

IHH Healthcare Singapore Sri Lanka hosted Dr. Paul Chiam at the College of Physicians’ 58th Annual Academic Sessions 2025 in Colombo to present on guideline-directed heart failure management, strengthening cross-border clinical collaboration and knowledge-sharing.

Lulu Group chairman Yusuff Ali donated Rs. 32 million to Sri Lanka's national relief and recovery fund for Cyclone Ditwah; UAE missions are also sending containers and air cargo. The cyclone has killed 635 people, 192 are missing and about 1.76 million people have been affected, with thousands of homes damaged or destroyed.

IMF has assured continued support for Sri Lanka after the cyclone and is closely engaging with authorities as a rapid post-disaster damage assessment proceeds; the Staff‑Level Agreement on the Fifth Review under the EFF remains on track ahead of a December 15 Board meeting. IMF staff are exploring additional support options pending assessment results.

Trade and Investment Queensland and Study Queensland held a two-day engagement in Sri Lanka with five Queensland universities (Griffith, James Cook, Bond, Central Queensland, Southern Cross) to promote scholarships, study pathways and student support. Officials highlighted opportunities in health, technology, agriculture, hospitality and construction and projected approximately 100,000 jobs from proposed projects ahead of the 2032 Olympics.

IMF will provide swift access to about USD 350 million (the sixth EFF tranche) within two weeks to support Sri Lanka's cyclone relief. Development partners also pledged immediate humanitarian aid and to repurpose financing for medium-term infrastructure and recovery efforts.

ADB will provide immediate grant support of up to $3 million to Sri Lanka (and $2 million each to Thailand and Viet Nam) from the Asia Pacific Disaster Response Fund to support emergency flood relief, humanitarian efforts and rebuilding of affected communities and infrastructure.

ADB will provide immediate grant support of up to $3 million to Sri Lanka (and $2 million each to Thailand and Viet Nam) from the Asia Pacific Disaster Response Fund to support emergency humanitarian relief and rebuilding after severe floods.

IMF informed Sri Lanka it can access the next $350m EFF tranche within two weeks. Development partners pledged immediate humanitarian aid and to repurpose/provide concessional financing for medium- to long-term infrastructure, agriculture and tourism recovery after Cyclone Ditwah.

The UN is leading a Joint Rapid Needs Assessment with Sri Lanka's Disaster Management Centre after Cyclone Ditwah to map flood impacts and coordinate data collection; efforts prioritize food security and agriculture, livelihoods, health and nutrition, water and sanitation, shelter and early recovery.

Binance Charity pledged Rs. 61.6 million to the Sri Lanka Red Cross to support immediate relief and early recovery for communities affected by Cyclone Ditwah. Funds will be used for food, clean water, hygiene and medical supplies, temporary shelter materials and cash grants for displaced families.

DMC reports 1,558,919 people from 437,507 families affected across 25 districts and 465 confirmed deaths; 366 missing. Fully damaged houses total 783, 31,417 partially damaged, and 1,433 safety centres are sheltering 232,752 people.

Multiple countries and international agencies have mobilised extensive humanitarian aid to Sri Lanka after Cyclone Ditwah, with India leading immediate response and major consignments arriving (e.g., US 20,000 polysacks, UAE 1,116 food packets, Australia AUD1m). The UN is coordinating rescue, relief and early recovery efforts.

Cyclone Ditwah has affected about 275,000 children among 1.4 million people in Sri Lanka, causing floods, landslides, widespread displacement and damage to homes and infrastructure. UNICEF is coordinating with authorities, scaling up life‑saving support and appealing for funding for water, nutrition, psychosocial care and emergency education.

The Commonwealth Enterprise and Investment Council appealed for support after Cyclone Ditwah, which has killed over 300 people, left hundreds missing and thousands homeless across Sri Lanka. CWEIC said its strategic partners stand ready to assist international recovery efforts.

Floods across Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Malaysia have killed over 1,000 people in less than a week, including 335 in Sri Lanka. The widespread flooding is likely to disrupt tourism, plantations, healthcare and logistics in the affected countries.