Colombo: The National Disaster Management Plan (NDMP) 2023 – 2030 Sensitization Workshop, held today at Courtyard by Marriott, Colombo City Centre, marked a pivotal moment in Sri Lanka’s national resilience strategy. Organized by the Disaster Management Centre (DMC) under the Ministry of Defence, the workshop brought together key stakeholders from government, international organizations, NGOs, and the private sector.

According to Ministry of Defence – Sri Lanka, the keynote address by the Defence Secretary Air Vice Marshal Sampath Thuyacontha (Retd) was a compelling call to action. Emphasizing the transformative nature of the NDMP, he described the plan as a ‘blueprint for survival and prosperity in an increasingly uncertain world’. He further stressed that ‘we can choose to let disasters derail our development dreams, or we can choose to build communities so resilient that they transform challenges into opportunities.’

The event commenced with the opening remarks from the Director General of DMC Major Gene
ral Sampath Kotuwegoda (Retd). The Acting Country Director of the World Food Programme Sri Lanka, Ms. Anita Hirsch, addressed the gathering, highlighting global disaster risk trends.

The agenda included detailed presentations on the operational framework and implementation strategies of the NDMP, followed by insights on Monitoring and Evaluation frameworks. A collaborative spirit dominated the day, particularly during the group discussions and action planning sessions, where participants prioritized key actions, identified implementation timelines, and mapped potential partnerships.

The workshop concluded with closing remarks from the Director (Preparedness), Mr. Chathura Liyanaarachchige, and a vote of thanks delivered by the Assistant Director (Preparedness), Ms. Udya Abeysinghe from the DMC. The session ended with a symbolic gesture of unity and celebrating the collective commitment to a safer Sri Lanka.

Commander of the Sri Lanka Navy, members of the diplomatic corps, the Director General of the Nation
al Building Research Organization, representatives from government and non-governmental organizations, and senior military officials also joined the workshop.