Sri Lanka and the United States Explore New Avenues for Defence and Disaster Response Cooperation

Sri Lanka and the United States explored new avenues to broaden practical cooperation in the fields of disaster response, infrastructure resilience, and defence engagement during a bilateral discussion between the Sri Lankan Defence Secretary, Air Vice Marshal Sampath Thuyacontha (Retd), and the Chief of the National Guard Bureau of the United States, General Steven Nordhaus, on 01 September, (2026) in Canada.

The discussion highlighted potential areas of cooperation that could directly support Sri Lanka's resilience and emergency response capabilities. Particular attention was given to strengthening disaster response preparedness through the provision and development of specialised equipment and capabilities for humanitarian assistance and disaster relief.

The Defence Secretary invited the United States to further expand bilateral engagement and maintain regular dialogue between the two countries, with a view to identifying additional areas of mutual interest and strengthening practical cooperation.

The discussions reflected the shared interest of Sri Lanka and the United States in developing capabilities that contribute to disaster preparedness, humanitarian response and institutional resilience, while further broadening the scope of bilateral engagement.