World Bank Commits $2 B to Sri Lanka’s Development Framework

The World Bank Group has launched a new Country Partnership Framework (CPF) for Sri Lanka covering 2026‑2030, committing about $2 billion in financing to public and private sector projects. The programme aims to support private‑sector‑led growth, create formal jobs for up to one million young people, and bolster four priority sectors – logistics, energy, tourism and agribusiness.

World Bank Country Manager Gevorg Sargsyan said the framework will mobilise over $1.2 billion of private capital in addition to the direct financing. Speakers at the launch in Colombo highlighted the need for growth‑stage funding for firms, reforms to SME policy, and measures to raise female labour‑force participation.

The partnership aligns with Sri Lanka’s ongoing recovery from its 2022 economic crisis and complements its IMF Extended Fund Facility programme. It is expected to be disbursed across multiple projects that address economic stabilisation, public‑service delivery, social protection, climate‑resilient infrastructure and private‑sector expansion.