Press briefing of Cabinet Decision taken on 2016-03-09

Ecosystems Conservation and Management Project (ESCAMP)

- Although Sri Lanka has been ranked as a global bio-diversity hot spot, the ecosystem and the bio-diversity of the country have been confronted with serious threats. The prime objective of the Government is to direct Sri Lanka towards a sustainable development that ensures the conservation and management, while empowering environmental safety. The objective of this project is to strengthen the capacity of the Government Institutions and the General Public, for the improvement of the sensitive ecosystems in selected areas, demonstrating models on human-elephant co-existence and the sustainable consumption and conservation of natural resources. Accordingly, the proposal made by H.E. the President Maithripala Sirisena, in his capacity as the Minister of Mahaweli Development and Environment, to implement this project during the period of 2016-2021, utilizing a loan facility of US$ 40 million to be obtained from the World Bank and Rs.473 million to be provided by the Government of Sri Lanka, was approved by the Cabinet.