A special high-level discussion between Mark-André Franch, United Nations Resident Coordinator for Sri Lanka, and Hon. Governor of the Northern Province N. Vethanayahan, took place this morning – on Tuesday, 24 March 2026, at the Governor’s Secretariat.
At the beginning of the discussion, the Governor presented the current situation of the province and its priority needs. He shared his views based on four main areas: economic development, land issues, environment and climate change, and resilient livelihoods.
Highlighting the land issues in particular, the Governor pointed out that due to the war in the past, many people’s land documents have been completely destroyed. At present, neither the people nor the government departments have the relevant records. As a result, people are facing difficulties in confirming their ownership rights to their lands. People continue to visit Divisional Secretariats, District Secretariats, and the Governor’s Secretariat in large numbers seeking solutions to these problems. Therefore, the urgent resolution of their land disputes and the provision of proper land documents is one of our most important needs. The government has already launched the ‘Himikam’ (Rights) project for this purpose, he stated.
The Hon. Governor also stressed that the province requires UN cooperation in the following areas: promoting small and medium-scale industries, establishing a single-window system to attract foreign direct investment, obtaining technical support for land release and resolving conflicts, and securing access to international funds such as the Green Climate Fund.
In response, the UN Resident Coordinator praised the Hon. Governor for handling the unique sensitivities and challenges of the Northern Province with great sensitivity and skill. He commended the dedication shown by government officials, including Grama Niladharis, during the recent flood disaster. He also noted that, in parallel with the government’s relief programmes, UN agencies such as UNICEF had provided rapid assistance to the most vulnerable groups, especially single mothers, persons with disabilities, and the Up-country Tamil community.
Speaking about the economic crisis and global conditions, he explained the reality that direct financial assistance from international donors to middle-income countries like Sri Lanka has significantly reduced. However, he stated that the United Nations is ready to provide maximum support to the Northern Province through new financing mechanisms such as the Green Climate Fund, Loss and Damage Fund, debt swaps, and development bonds capable of attracting private investment. He further mentioned that “the UN feels like an ambassador for the Northern Province in Colombo” and pledged to continue advocating to attract investments from international organisations such as the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank to the North.
The discussion also addressed the rigid bureaucratic procedures and delays in obtaining approvals that act as obstacles to attracting investors to the Northern Province. He emphasised the need to establish an efficient single-window system. At the same time, he said the UN is prepared to provide technical advice to expedite the spending of funds allocated to the government and the Provincial Council, as well as to speed up procurement processes. He also assured full support for the land conflict issues, land release processes, and infrastructure projects based on reconciliation pointed out by the Governor.
Following the speeches by the Governor and the UN Resident Coordinator, an extensive discussion took place. During this session, the District Secretaries of Jaffna, Mannar, and Mullaitivu detailed the land problems faced by the people in their districts related to the Department of Forest Conservation and the Department of Wildlife Conservation. Similarly, the Additional District Secretary of Kilinochchi District clarified the various land disputes existing in his district.
Finally, the Northern Province Commissioner of Lands stated that approximately 200,000 land documents need to be processed in the province. He emphasised the need to provide special incentive payments to the officers involved, as the current limited staff strength makes it difficult to complete this task within the specified time frame.
This high level discussion was attended by the Secretary to the Governor of the Northern Province, the Deputy Chief Secretary – Administration, District Secretaries, the Provincial Commissioner of Lands, and representatives from various United Nations agencies.
