New Delhi, Sept. 27 (Jiji Press)–Sri Lanka plans to resume full-scale construction at an early date on projects funded by Japanese soft loans, Sri Lankan trade minister Wasantha Samarasinghe said in an interview with Jiji Press on Friday. Construction will resume as soon as possible, Samarasinghe said. Japanese low-interest yen loans are expected to be high on the agenda of a meeting between Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and Sri Lankan President Anura Disanayaka, who is set to visit Japan starting on Saturday. Investment from Japan will be a key topic at the summit, Samarasinghe said. Sri Lanka defaulted in 2022, leading to a temporary halt to yen loans to 11 projects, including an expansion of the country’s international airport. The Japanese government announced its resumption of the loans in July 2024 following a deal to restructure Sri Lanka’s debts. Samarasinghe showed a cautious stance about reviving a plan to build a next-generation light rail transit line in Colombo with the support of the Japan International Cooperation Agency, a project canceled in September 2020. There are other projects with higher priority, and Sri Lanka will consider resuming the LRT project if its economic value is confirmed, Samarasinghe said. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]
EXCLUSIVE: Sri Lanka to Resume Japan-Aided Projects
Related Posts
Victims of Mt. Ontake Eruption Remembered 11 Years On
Otaki, Nagano Pref., Sept. 27 (Jiji Press)–About 60 people mourned the victims of the eruption of Mount Ontake in central Japan 11 years ago in a memorial ceremony on Saturday. A moment of silence was observed at the ceremony in the village
Japan, S. Korea Hold Cultural Exchange Event in Tokyo
Tokyo, Sept. 27 (Jiji Press)–People from Japan and South Korea kicked off a two-day cultural exchange event in Tokyo on Saturday as this year marks the 60th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic relations between the two Asian neighbors. In the opening
