## Sri Lanka Rethinks Disaster Strategy to Break Poverty Cycle 📈

Experts and private sector leaders warn that reactive disaster management is deepening poverty, calling for a shift toward risk-informed development and resilient infrastructure. • Economic Impact & Poverty Link Natural disasters in Sri Lanka are increasingly intersecting with poverty and inequality. Experts note that repeated climate shocks expose structural weaknesses, often pushing vulnerable communities back into poverty cycles due to weak policy planning. • Private Sector & Recovery Funding The Rebuilding Sri Lanka Fund, established following Cyclone Ditwah, has mobilized Rs. 4.2 Billion from the private sector. John Keells Holdings Chairman Krishan Balendra emphasized that private investment must prioritize sustainability and community wellbeing to ensure long-term economic continuity. • Strategic Policy Shifts • Urban Planning: Warnings against unplanned expansion that places low-income groups in high-risk zones. • Nature-based Solutions: Utilizing wetlands and floodplains as protective assets rather than obstacles to development. • Institutional Reform: Moving from mere recovery to "building back smarter" by addressing underlying risks. • Priority Actions Panelists identified seven key priorities, including strengthening school-level awareness, improving early warning systems, and fostering blended public-private collaborations to bridge governance gaps.