External Resources Department

External Resources Department is the government agency responsible for mobilization of official development assistance including technical corporation.

Our Vision

To be at the forefront of the economic development of Sri Lanka by mobilizing foreign financing requirements  for investment and implementation of reforms required to achieve economic growth and poverty reduction objectives of the government.

Our Mission

ERD shall be at the forefront of economic development of Sri Lanka by:

  • Coordinating, negotiating and mobilizing foreign financing required to finance investment requirements of the country at favorable terms and conditions.
  • Ensuring effective utilization of foreign financing by the line ministries and agencies.
  • Ensuring fair and equitable distribution of foreign training opportunities provided by donor agencies/countries.

Objectives

  • Identification of development strategies and priorities of donors.

  • Preparation of project pipeline for donor funding in line with the government development objectives.

  • Ensure that the projects formulated for donor funding will address all stakeholders concerns and policy issues

  • Coordination and negotiation of foreign financing on favorable terms and conditions.

  • Ensure timely execution of Loan/Grant Agreements.

  • Ensure timely and efficient utilization of aid funds

  • Effective utilization of Foreign Training/Experts/Volunteers

  • Ensure availability of accurate information on foreign aid.

  • Effective management and delivery of services of the Department

   What we do

  1. Conduct consultations with donors to identify development assistance strategies and priorities.

  2. Co-ordinate Annual Country Aid Programming activities of the donors in consultation with the line Ministries/Agencies.

  3. Prepare project pipelines for donor funding in consultation with the line Ministries/Agencies, National Planning Department and the Advisory Committee.

  4. Co-ordinate formulation of projects proposed for donor funding by facilitating the conduct of feasibility studies by the donors or consultants engaged by donors and coordination of activities of donor missions from the fact finding stage to the appraisal stage.

  5. Negotiate foreign aid and make arrangements for signing of loan/grant  agreements and make them effective. Activities involved;                                                                                                                  

  • coordinate with line Ministries/Agencies with regard to the fulfillment of any conditionalities connected with the negotiation and signing of loan agreements;
  • conduct loan negotiations with the donors;
  • obtain Government approval and authority for signing of agreements;
  • sign subsidiary loan agreements with the implementing agencies; and
  • fulfill conditions prior to effectiveness of the loan agreements.

  1. Conclude banking arrangements and arrange advance procurement activities. Initiate actions relating to the establishment of Project Management Units.

  2. Obtain donor concurrence for project procurement and submission of reimbursement claims to the donors.

  3. Oversee implementation of donor funded projects by;

  • coordinating activities connected with the review missions fielded by the donors and follow-up on actions recommended;
  • maintaining  a database on monitoring of donor funded projects;
  • participating in Steering Committees set-up by the line Ministries to monitor implementation of donor funded projects;
  • reviewing  implementation of projects jointly with the donors; and,
  • participating in monitoring meetings conducted by the Ministry of Policy Development and Implementation.

  1. Manage foreign training opportunities provided by donors under Technical Cooperation Programmes. 

  2. Manage foreign experts and overseas volunteers provided by donors.

  3. Manage counterpart funds generated out of the proceeds of the selling of commodities granted by donors.

  4. Administer the budget on donor funds re-lent to the private sector through the banking  system.

  5. Manage of Government external debt database by;

  • maintaining a database on foreign loan/grant commitments, disbursements and repayments for various users such as line Ministries, Treasury, Central Bank and individual project offices;
  • providing information with regard to servicing of foreign debt to the Superintendent of Public Debt, CBSL; and ,
  •  publishing information on foreign aid and foreign training placements provided by donors.

       How We Structured

The Department is headed by a Director General who is assisted by two Additional Director Generals and six Directors in-charge of the following divisions.

  1. Asian Development Bank Division

  2. World Bank Division

  3. Japan Division

  4. Bilateral West Division

  5. Bilateral East Division

  6. Technical Assistance Division

  7. Policy Division

  8. Information System & Debt Management Division

  9. Administration & Accounts Division.

 

      

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