“The war has ended, and I do not believe another war will occur. When lands belonging to civilians that are currently under military control are returned to their rightful owners, some people in southern Sri Lanka raise ethnically motivated claims that ‘military lands are being handed over to civilians.’ However, what the military is releasing are the people’s own lands, not lands belonging to the military. This government will continue to implement measures to return civilian lands to their rightful owners,” stated the Hon. Governor of the Northern Province, N. Vethanayahan.
The Ambassador of the European Union, together with the Ambassadors of Germany, France, Italy, and the Netherlands, met with the Governor of the Northern Province at the Governor’s Secretariat today – on Tuesday, 21 July 2026. The Governor made the above remarks during the meeting.
The diplomatic delegation stated that the primary purpose of their visit was to gain a firsthand understanding of the current situation in the Northern Province and the development initiatives being carried out there.
Responding to their observations, the Governor explained that government funding allocated for the development of the Northern Province has significantly increased compared to previous years. He also outlined the various development programmes currently being implemented by the government. In particular, he briefed the delegation on the progress made by district-level committees in facilitating the release of lands that had previously been occupied by the Forest Department and the Department of Wildlife Conservation. He further addressed the issue of releasing lands currently under the control of the security forces, noting that the government is approaching these matters with careful consideration and commitment.
The EU delegation also inquired about the holding of Provincial Council elections and the ongoing excavations at the Chemmani mass grave site.
The discussions also focused extensively on development projects being implemented in the Northern Province, particularly those supported by India. Topics included India’s assistance for the development of Kankesanthurai (KKS) Port, the proposed plans for the port’s future expansion, as well as the expansion of Palaly Airport and related air services.
The delegation further sought information on investment opportunities in the Northern Province. The Governor highlighted that the province possesses abundant resources, particularly in the agriculture and fisheries sectors, and stated that these sectors continue to offer excellent investment opportunities. He also informed the ambassadors that plans are underway, through the Board of Investment of Sri Lanka, to establish three new investment zones in the Northern Province.
The meeting was attended by H.E. Carmen Moreno, Ambassador of the European Union; H.E. Dr. Felix Neumann, Ambassador of Germany; H.E. Remi Lambert, Ambassador of France; H.E. Damiano Francovigh, Ambassador of Italy; and H.E. Wiebe de Boer, Ambassador of the Netherlands.
They were accompanied by Ms. Galiya Akisheva, Deputy Head of the EU Delegation; Dr. Johan Hess, Head of the Cooperation Section; Ms. Sara Fonseca Silva, Communications Coordinator; as well as the Secretary to the Governor and the Private Secretary to the Governor of Northern Province.
