Government of Canada Increases Humanitarian Aid to Sri Lanka

Beverley J. Oda, Minister of International Cooperation, announced that Canada will increase its support to civilians displaced by the recent conflict in Sri Lanka. The Canadian International Development Agency is increasing its contributions to recent United Nations (UN) and Red Cross humanitarian appeals. Canada is also providing funds for the humanitarian activities of the World Food Programme, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, UNICEF, and Canadian non-governmental organizations, including CARE, Oxfam Canada and World Vision. Canada will contribute up to an additional $15 million in humanitarian assistance for conflict-afflicted internally displaced persons (IDPs). This announcement comes after Ms. Oda visited camps for IDPs in Vavuniya and met with partners and senior Sri Lankan Ministers and officials during an official three-day visit to Sri Lanka.