21 May 2020

The Government of Japan provides a grant aid of 500,000,000 Japanese yen (MVR 68,750,000*) to the Maldives for further promoting the economic and social development in the country. The Minister of Foreign Affairs Abdulla Shahid and the Ambassador of Japan to the Maldives Yanai Keiko signed the Exchange of Notes relating to the grant aid, at a ceremony held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs this afternoon.

This grant aid will be utilized to further strengthen the capacities of the Maldives Immigration and the Maldives Customs Services towards strengthening border control and countering terrorism. Under the grant aid, equipment, including facial recognition system, mobile x-rays, counterfeit bill detectors, special luminescent microscope, speedboats, and vehicles will be provided to the two agencies.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, Minister Shahid thanked the Government of Japan for the grant aid, characterizing it as yet another important gesture of Japan’s goodwill and extraordinary generosity to the Maldives. Minister Shahid recalled that expanding of bilateral cooperation into areas, such as counterterrorism and border security were among the key issues discussed during President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih’s Official Visit to Japan in October 2019, and therefore, the conclusion of the Exchange of Notes today marks an important outcome following the President’s Visit.
The Japanese Ambassador, in her remarks, noted that this grant assistance aims to strengthen the capacity and capability of the Maldives Immigration and Maldives Customs Service for border control and operational readiness. The Maldives, especially given the remoteness and vulnerabilities of islands, maintaining secure maritime, land and air borders is a key to the national security and public safety, and coordination among the relevant agencies is extremely important.
Japan is an important bilateral partner of the Maldives for several decades. Discussions are currently going on between the two Governments for a project to assist the Maldives to increase the capacities of the health service providers in the country during the spread of COVID-19.
Earlier this month, the Government of Japan provided a grant of USD 356,400 for UNICEF Maldives and USD 185,000 for Maldives Red Crescent to assist the Government in its efforts to respond to COVID-19. The Government of Japan has also committed a grant of USD 1.4 million to the UNDP Maldives that will support small and medium enterprises (SME’s) affected by COVID-19.

ENDS.

Source: Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Maldives
Link:

https://foreign.gov.mv/index.php/en/mediacentre/news/5657-japan-gives-a-grant-aid-of-mvr-68-7-million-to-the-maldives

21 May 2020

The Government of Maldives today received a grant aid package from the Government of Japan aimed at assisting the country overcome the present challenges that are in place due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, and to help the Maldives gear up towards recovery.

The grant aid package amounts to MVR 21,740,400 and will benefit the Government of Maldives and the Maldivian entrepreneurs, as it looks forward to opening up the economy post-lockdown. It will also enable greater investments to address and diversify the economic base, while exploring new avenues of entrepreneurship, and contributing to the overall objective of stimulating economic growth in the long-term. 

The Government of Maldives thanks UNDP for its efforts in securing the funding, and the Government of Japan for its grant aid. Japan continues to be an important bilateral development partner of the Maldives. Discussions are currently ongoing between the two Governments for a project to assist the Maldives to increase the capacities of health service providers in the country to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. Earlier this month, the Government of Japan provided a grant of MVR 5,346,000 for UNICEF Maldives, and MVR 2,775,000 for Maldives Red Crescent to assist the Government of Maldives in its efforts to respond to COVID-19. 

ENDS

Source: Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Maldives
Link:

https://foreign.gov.mv/index.php/en/mediacentre/news/5654-the-maldives-to-collaborate-with-japan-and-undp-in-covid-19-recovery

02 May 2020

The Government of Japan has given an emergency grant of USD 356,400 for UNICEF and USD 185,000 for Maldives Red Crescent to assist the Government of Maldives in its efforts to respond to COVID-19.

The said grant will be utilized for procurement of medical equipment and consumables, and for providing technical assistance for the installation of new communications systems in various schools for online teaching programs and tele-classes.

The Government of Maldives expressed its appreciation to the Government and people of Japan for the timely assistance provided to the Maldives. This assistance will go a long way in complementing the existing efforts by the Government in combatting COVID-19.

Japan has been the most important bilateral development partner of the Maldives for several decades. It has helped the Maldives in education, infrastructure development, and climate change adaptation projects including the construction of the sea-wall around Male’. Japan was among the first countries to provide financial assistance to the Maldives in the immediate aftermath of 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami.

ENDS

Source: Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Maldives
Link:

https://foreign.gov.mv/index.php/en/mediacentre/news/5634-the-government-of-japan-extends-emergency-grant-to-the-maldives-through-unicef-and-the-maldives-red-crescent-in-the-fight-against-covid-19