The groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of the new South Asia Co-operative Environment Programme (SACEP) headquarters took place on Monday, the 12th of June, 2023. The ceremonial plaque was declared open by the Chief Guest, Hon. Naseer Ahamed, Minister of Environment, Government of Sri Lanka.
For over four decades, SACEP has spearheaded the promotion of regional initiatives that work towards the protection, management, and enhancement of the environment in the South Asian region. Designed according to international green building standards, the state-of-the-art, carbon reduced headquarters will be based in Colombo, Sri Lanka and is designed to be a center of excellence to promote regional cooperation in the field of environment and conservation within South Asia.
The construction site includes an approximately 1,600 square meter building that will accommodate a modern office space for SACEP staff, with dedicated rooms for regional representatives, a 100-seater auditorium, a lactating room and wheelchair accessibility. The new building is distinguished by a modern steel outer-structure with numerous green spaces integrated around the premises.
Dr Masumur Rahman, Director General of SACEP, together with Dr. Anil Jasinghe, Secretary of the Ministry of Environment, Government of Sri Lanka and other dignitaries participated in the groundbreaking festivities. Further attendees included regional Consultative Committee members of SACEP.
In his keynote address, Chief Guest, Hon. Naseer Ahamed, Minister of Environment spoke on how SACEP was a pioneering organization within the South Asian region, focusing on environment conservation and protection. He further commended the team on their efforts towards furthering the capacities of the organization and contributing to more regional projects.
Construction work on the property will commence shortly and is forecasted to be completed by the end of 2024, and is partially funded by Parley for the Oceans.
