Iranian President Inaugurates Major Hydroelectric Project in Sri Lanka

Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe jointly inaugurated the Uma Oya Multipurpose Development Project (UOMDP) in Badulla, Sri Lanka on Monday. The $514 million hydroelectric project, one of the largest irrigation initiatives in Sri Lanka, was designed and built by Iranian companies to help address Sri Lanka's electricity and water scarcity issues.

The UOMDP aims to divert an annual average of 145 million cubic meters of excess water from the Uma Oya basin to the Kirindi Oya basin in the southeastern dry region of Sri Lanka. This will provide irrigation water to approximately 4,500 hectares of new land and 1,500 hectares of existing agricultural land in the Monaragala district. The project is also expected to supply 39 million cubic meters of water for drinking and industrial purposes to the areas of Badulla, Monaragala, and Hambantota, while generating 290 GWh of electrical energy annually for the national grid.

Why this matters: The inauguration of the Uma Oya Multipurpose Development Project symbolizes the strong friendship and enhanced cooperation between Iran and Sri Lanka. It also represents the shared aspirations of countries in the Global South for independence and development through mutual support and collaboration.

The project, which commenced in 2007 with initial funding from the Export Development Bank of Iran, faced various challenges over the years, including technical issues, social impacts, and financial obstacles due to international sanctions against Iran. This led to an extended completion date of March 2024. "The Uma Oya Multipurpose Development Project is good news for the people of Sri Lanka," President Raisi stated, emphasizing Iran's readiness to further contribute to Sri Lanka's progress through technical and engineering services.

During the visit, the two countries signed five memoranda of understanding covering cooperation in areas such as libraries, film industry, media, tourism, culture, science, technology, and sports. President Raisi and President Wickremesinghe also issued a joint statement affirming their commitment to strengthening bilateral ties and extending similar development initiatives to other regions in Sri Lanka. The Iranian delegation, led by President Raisi, was welcomed at the Mattala Airport by Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardane and received a warm reception from President Wickremesinghe at the Presidential Secretariat.

Key Takeaways

• Iran and Sri Lanka jointly inaugurated the $514M Uma Oya hydroelectric project.
• The project aims to address Sri Lanka's electricity and water scarcity issues.
• The project will provide irrigation, drinking water, and generate 290 GWh annually.
• The project symbolizes Iran-Sri Lanka friendship and South-South cooperation.
• The countries signed 5 MOUs covering cooperation in various sectors.