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Canada's Commitment
Results
Country Profile
Canada's Commitment
Canada has a long-standing aid partnership with Sri Lanka, dating back to the 1950s. Since 1983 and the beginning of the civil war in Sri Lanka, Canada's aid program has focussed on addressing the root causes and effects of the war through projects to support good governance and human rights, gender equality, and economic well-being, especially employment for youth and members of disadvantaged groups.
Following the December 2004 tsunami, the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) created 
CIDA, along with the international community,
is committed to helping rebuild Sri Lanka's
fishing communities, devastated by the
December 2004 tsunami.
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the Sri Lanka tsunami reconstruction strategy to guide its assistance for Sri Lanka's reconstruction efforts to 2009. CIDA's programs will continue to focus on the areas listed above, with additional programs to address the impact of the tsunami on the environment and on fishing communities.
In addition to its regular and post-tsunami programs, CIDA has worked since 2002 with the United Nations Development Programme and UNICEF to help meet Sri Lanka's conflict-related humanitarian and rehabilitation needs.
Sri Lanka has been identified as one of the 25 development partner countries – a group of countries where the bulk of Canada's bilateral (country to country) aid program will be focused.
 Results
An educated population and sophisticated civil society make Sri Lanka an effective recipient of aid, despite political instability. CIDA's long presence in the country and the high credibility of its programs in communities on both sides of the civil war have made it possible to continue and expand its programs. Of special note is the program to provide vocational training to unemployed or underemployed young women and men. This training has resulted in a remarkable rate of sustainable employment for former trainees, and is helping provide youths with economic alternatives to joining the conflict.
Country Profile
Sri Lanka is a low- to middle-income country. Despite rapid progress during the 1950s and 1960s, including achievement of a literacy rate of 
In Sri Lanka, CIDA funds projects
that support employment for members
of disadvantaged groups, such as women.
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92 percent, its development has been undermined by decades of civil war (65,000 killed, one million displaced). Though only 7 percent of Sri Lanka's population lives in absolute poverty on less than US$1 a day, close to half (45.4 percent) are highly vulnerable, living on an income below US$2 a day.
The December 2004 tsunami killed 31,000 people, displaced close to a million more, devastated Sri Lanka's coastal infrastructure and livelihoods, and is expected to push an additional 250,000 Sri Lankans below the poverty line. The international community's commitment to restore communities and their livelihoods has resulted in impressive progress since recovery efforts began.
The areas affected by the civil war lag far behind the rest of the country. Significant efforts will be required to bring them back on par with more developed areas. However, if peace prevails, Sri Lanka's prospects for rapid growth and eventual graduation from aid will be excellent.
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