Cindy McCain holds productive talks with President

United States Permanent Representative to the UN Food and Agriculture Agencies in Rome, Ambassador Cindy McCain held productive talks with President Ranil Wickremesinghe today.

The US Ambassador to Sri Lanka, Julie Chung, said that Cindy McCain and the President discussed the impact of ongoing economic hardships on Sri Lankans.

They also explored the many ways the US and Sri Lanka are working together to meet urgent humanitarian needs.

Ambassador Cindy McCain will be in Sri Lanka from September 25-28 to highlight U.S. food assistance programs in Sri Lanka and reinforce the U.S. commitment and lasting partnership with the island nation.

In addition to meeting with senior Government officials and aid organizations in Colombo, Ambassador McCain will join U.S. Ambassador to Sri Lanka Julie Chung to travel to the Central Province to visit schools, agricultural research facilities, and community organizations and meet with recipients and implementers of relief provided through U.S. government-funded humanitarian assistance programs.

The United States is the single largest country donor to the three United Nations food and agriculture agencies, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), and the World Food Program (WFP).

U.S.-funded UN projects showcase how the U.S. government, the UN Food and Agriculture Agencies, and the government of Sri Lanka collaborate to reduce food insecurity and advance humanitarian relief, livelihood protection, and agriculture-led economic growth, especially at this critical time of increased global hunger. (Colombo Gazette)