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Australia gives $50m in support for Sri Lanka

Andrew BrownAAP
Home Affairs Minister Clare O'Neil has arrived in Sri Lanka for talks with the country's leaders.
Camera IconHome Affairs Minister Clare O'Neil has arrived in Sri Lanka for talks with the country's leaders. Credit: AAP

Australia has boosted its financial aid to Sri Lanka, as Home Affairs Minister Clare O’Neil arrived for key talks in the embattled nation.

Ms O’Neil arrived in Sri Lanka on Monday ahead of talks with President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, along with the country’s prime minister and foreign minister.

The talks come amid the interception of multiple asylum seeker boats heading to Australia to escape Sri Lanka’s economic crisis, the worst the country has experienced in 70 years.

Ms O’Neil will discuss how the two countries could cooperate on people smuggling, as well as strengthening engagement on transnational crime.

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The visit comes as the federal government provides $50 million in development assistance to Sri Lanka, which is dealing with widespread food, fuel and medicine shortages.

Of the $50 million in support, $22 million will be given immediately to the World Food Programme for emergency food assistance.

A further $23 million will be given in assistance throughout the 2022/23 financial year, while $5 million has been given to UN agencies dealing with the crisis.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese reiterated the government would not allow for asylum seekers looking to flee Sri Lanka by boat to Australia to be resettled.

“We understand that there are issues in Sri Lanka, and that the wrong messages are being given by people smugglers. Our message will be very clear,” he said.

“We will be strong on borders without being weak on humanity, but we will be strong when it comes to our borders.”

Opposition Immigration spokesman Dan Tehan welcomed the decision to visit Sri Lanka for talks during the economic crisis.

However, he said it was vital border policies put in place by the former coalition government remained in place.

“They’re going to have to show strong resolve to make sure that those policies continue to work,” he told Sky News.

“It’s absolutely vital that they keep the policies in place that were put there to stop the illegal people smuggling trade.”

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