Sri Lanka seeks grant assistance from US

Sri Lanka has sought grant assistance from the US to provide a tangible peace dividend to its people, a media report said.

The Sri Lankan foreign ministry said on Saturday that the assistance has been sought through the US Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC), an independent US government foreign aid agency, Xinhua news agency reported.

At a meeting with chief executive officer of the MCC Dana J. Hyde, Sri Lanka's ambassador to the US Prasad Kariyawasam has emphasised the desire of the government to establish a partnership with the US.

Kariyawasam briefed Hyde on the reform process in Sri Lanka and the significant progress that has been achieved by the government since its election to office in January.

Acknowledging the progressive developments taking place in Sri Lanka, Hyde said MCC was encouraged by the reform process and would continue to closely follow developments in the coming months.

She invited the ambassador to continue interaction with MCC, the foreign ministry said.