Over the next three years, the British Government is committed to spending over Rs. 15 million for continued capacity building and training for all the professional branches involved in anti-corruption work, Davies said.

She said that when the new Sri Lankan Government asked the international community for assistance in tackling corruption earlier this year, the UK was one of the first to offer practical support.

The UK Serious Fraud Office (SFO) has sent a senior investigator to Colombo and he has designed and delivered a tailored package of training, to develop investigation capability in the Bribery Commission and police, including the new Financial Crime Investigation Division.

According to the Deputy High Commissioner, Sri Lanka is the first country in the world to which the Serious Fraud Office has seconded an officer in this way