Sri Lanka Participates in the BIMSTEC Ambassadorial Roundtable Dialogue on Cooperation for Disaster and Climate Resilience in the Bay of Bengal Region

The Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka to the Kingdom of Thailand, Wijayanthi Edirisinghe participated in the BIMSTEC Ambassadorial Roundtable Dialogue on “Cooperation for Disaster and Climate Resilience in the Bay of Bengal Region”, held in Bangkok on 16 October 2025. The Dialogue brought together Ambassadors and senior representatives from BIMSTEC Member States, including the Ambassadors of Bangladesh and Nepal to Thailand. The Deputy Governor of Bangkok, Hon. Dr. Tavida Kamolvej graced the occasion, while the Secretary General of BIMSTEC, Ambassador Indra Mani Pandey was also in attendance. A three-member delegation from Sri Lanka, representing the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Employment and Tourism, Disaster Management Centre, and the National Disaster Relief Service Centre, also attended the event. The event was co-hosted by the Asian Disaster Preparedness Center (ADPC) in collaboration with the BIMSTEC Secretariat.

Preceding the Ambassadorial Dialogue, a two-day technical-level workshop was organized, engaging stakeholders, academics, and representatives from regional and international organizations. The workshop provided an important platform for exchanging expertise, experiences, and best practices on enhancing disaster preparedness and climate resilience across the Bay of Bengal region.

The theme of the Dialogue, “Cooperation for Disaster and Climate Resilience in the Bay of Bengal Region,” underscored the urgent need for regional collaboration to address the growing impacts of climate change and natural disasters. Discussions highlighted the importance of joint early-warning systems, forecast-based financing, ecosystem-based adaptation, and community- level preparedness as key elements in strengthening collective resilience within the BIMSTEC framework.

During the Roundtable, each Ambassador was invited to respond to two thematic questions. Ambassador of Sri Lanka, Wijayanthi Edirisinghe shared insights on the country’s post-tsunami recovery experience and how those lessons could use for the development of a regional disaster risk reduction framework. She also highlighted the importance of regional cooperation in transforming Sri Lanka’s national initiatives—such as the “Clean Sri Lanka” programme and ongoing climate adaptation efforts—into broader regional action for sustainability and resilience.

In her remarks, the Ambassador emphasized that Sri Lanka’s experience in post-tsunami recovery and climate adaptation offers valuable lessons for regional collaboration. She noted that the integration of Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) into long-term national development planning, as outlined in Sri Lanka’s National Disaster Management Plan (2023–2030), ensures that resilience thinking is embedded across all sectors. She also highlighted Sri Lanka’s shift towards risk-informed development, which views prevention, preparedness, response, and recovery as parts of a continuous cycle rather than isolated activities.

Ambassador Edirisinghe further underscored the importance of inclusive approaches that actively involve women, the elderly, differently abled persons, and coastal communities in disaster preparedness and response. She also pointed to Sri Lanka’s success in early-warning systems, forecast-based financing, and community-based adaptation, demonstrating how proactive measures can protect lives and livelihoods.

Emphasizing the importance of regional cooperation, Ambassador Edirisinghe highlighted that it provides a platform to scale national initiatives into shared regional resilience. She identified key areas for BIMSTEC collaboration, including early-warning interoperability, forecast-based financing, nature-based solutions, capacity-building, resilient infrastructure standards, and digital innovation to ensure timely, accessible information reaches vulnerable communities. The Ambassador reaffirmed Sri Lanka’s commitment to working with BIMSTEC Member States to translate national experience and expertise into regional action, fostering a safer, cleaner, and more climate-resilient Bay of Bengal region.

The event was attended by, Ms. Thilini Ihalage, Minister Counsellor/Head of Chancery of the Embassy. The delegation from Sri Lanka was represented by Mr. H D G Priyantha, Deputy Director/Disaster Management Centre, Ms. Prabashwi Kahathuduwa, Assistant Director/Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment & Tourism, Ms. V Subashini, Development Officer, National Disaster Relief service Centre.

Embassy and Permanent Mission of Sri Lanka in Bangkok
21 October 2025