Experts Urge Risk-Informed Development to Break Poverty Cycles

Sri Lanka must move beyond reactive disaster response and adopt coordinated, risk-informed development strategies to address the growing link between natural disasters and poverty, experts said at a public policy forum in Colombo.

UNDP Resident Representative Azusa Kubota emphasised that disasters intersect with poverty, inequality, and development choices, requiring collective action, strong coordination, and long-term planning. UNDP’s engagement focuses on strengthening institutional preparedness, inter-agency coordination, and community resilience rather than simply post-disaster recovery.

The forum, titled “Facing the Future: Natural Disasters and Poverty in Sri Lanka,” was organised by the Centre for Poverty Analysis (CEPA) in collaboration with the Open University’s Centre for Environmental Studies and Sustainable Development.

CEPA Senior Advisor Dr. Ganeshan Wignaraja noted that Sri Lanka faces a pivotal choice: disasters can either push people further into poverty or trigger reforms that make development more inclusive and resilient. CEPA Executive Director Prof. Sirimal Abeyratne added that repeated climate shocks expose structural weaknesses shaped by policy failures, weak planning, and socio-economic vulnerabilities, stressing the need for integrated disaster risk and climate adaptation strategies.

John Keells Holdings Chairman Krishan Balendra highlighted the private sector’s role in resilience, sustainability, and community wellbeing, citing Rs. 4.2 billion mobilised through the Rebuilding Sri Lanka Fund for post-Cyclone Ditwah recovery. He stressed public–private collaboration for long-term reconstruction benefits.

Panelists, including former CEPA Executive Director Dr. Herath Gunathilake and Prof. Jagath Munasinghe, called for building smarter, not just rebuilding, improved spatial planning, nature-based solutions, and stronger early warning systems. Seven priority actions were outlined, from school-level awareness to divisional community services, emphasising risk-informed development, better governance, and blended collaboration to reduce long-term vulnerability.