Maldives News Bulletin - Volume 121

Speaker of Parliament Abdul Raheem Abdulla has spoken on the crucial importance of prioritising international support in order to draft developmental strategies.

Speaking at the 2024 Interregional Seminar on the Achievement of the SDGs for Parliaments of Developing Countries held in Beijing, China, Speaker Abdul Raheem emphasised the importance of considering each country’s situation and available resources, when drafting developmental strategies in this globalised world.

As such, he highlighted the critical connection between the Maldives’ economic development strategies, its democratic values, and sustainability. Drawing from President Dr Mohamed Muizzu’s address at the 4th International Conference on Small Island Developing States (SIDS), the Speaker reiterated that sustainability is at the core of the Maldives’ identity, and resilience is essential to its way of life.

Furthermore, Speaker Abdul Raheem stressed that inclusive globalisation requires a commitment to sustainability and international collaboration. He reaffirmed the Maldives’ dedication to partnerships with China and other nations in pursuit of a prosperous and sustainable future.

The 2024 Interregional Seminar on SDGs for Parliaments of Developing Countries is being held from August 18 to 23 in Beijing.

Speaker Abdul Raheem is accompanied on this official trip by Parliamentarians Ibrahim Shujau, Mohamed Ismail, Mohamed Shahid, and the Secretary General of the Parliament Fathimath Niusha.

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Minister of Fisheries and Ocean Resources Ahmed Shiyam has highlighted the significance of line fishing for maximising ocean resources.

He made the statement during a press briefing about the government’s decision to reinstate line fishing for local fishermen.

Speaking at the press conference, Minister Shiyam noted that expanding fisheries and boosting economic activities to enhance profits is a major government objective. He announced that the Cabinet has decided to reinstate line fishing, with efforts underway to implement it. He also said that a draft of the new regulations has been prepared in collaboration with relevant stakeholders and is open for public feedback.

Additionally, Minister Shiyam stressed the importance of resuming line fishing given the current economic climate in the Maldives.

He noted that this move is crucial for increasing income and diversifying the fisheries sector. He also said that the government is committed to finalising all necessary procedures and reopening line fishing to fishermen as soon as possible

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The Ministry of Economic Development and Trade has announced the Japanese online platform “Food Trip” is now offering an opportunity to market locally produced food products from the Maldives.

The Ministry said that Maldivian products can now be featured on the Food Trip website, a B2B platform, with a free promotional period available until March 31, 2025.

The Ministry highlighted that it is a valuable opportunity for those interested in marketing Maldivian food products in the Japanese market.

Interested individuals are encouraged to register through the Food Trip platform (https://www.food-trip.jp). The Ministry also noted all businesses meeting the specified guidelines are eligible to participate.

Food Trip is an online platform operated by Otani Trading Limited, a Japanese company, and is widely recognised as a popular food shopping website in Japan.

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Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation has signed with Housing Development Corporation (HDC) to allocate a land for the temporary parking of unregistered vehicles in Male’ and Hulhumale’ until the registry and other matters are amended.

The land was allocated from Hulhumale’ Phase Two, adjacent to the MACL flats.

The agreement was signed by the Deputy Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation Ali Nishan and Real Estate Management Director of HDC Ahmed Saneeh Haneef. The agreement notes that the vehicles will be given six months to be registered in accordance with the rules. If the vehicles are not going to be reregistered to Male’ City zone, they should be moved to the zones they are registered in, within this time frame.

The land can only be used for the temporary parking of unregistered vehicles parked on the roads and vehicles registered for zones other than Zone A.

The Ministry notes that the unregistered vehicles will be given 40 days to be moved to the parking area. It warned that vehicles not moved to the parking area within this time frame will be towed by the police.

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Minister of Islamic Affairs Dr Mohammed Shaheem Ali Saeed has been appointed as a member of the International Academy of Islamic Fiqh of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).

His appointment was confirmed during the Academy’s administrative meeting held on August 8.

The OIC Fiqh Academy, established in 1981, is a platform that addresses religious disputes and significant issues within the Islamic world, aiming to provide the best religious decisions. The Academy includes 57 member states of the OIC

Dr Shaheem brings extensive experience to the role, having previously served as Advisor to the Secretary General of the OIC and Head of the Voice of Wisdom Centre. The Maldives, an active member of the OIC, continues to play a significant role in key discussions and decisions within the organisation, which is the largest entity working for peace and stability in Islamic countries.

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Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Male’ City Group of Hospitals Ibrahim Abdul Razzaq Haleem has stated that the bed count in government hospitals increased by only 130, in the past 29 years.

Haleem, who also serves as the CEO of Dharumavantha Hospital, made this statement at the session held at the Parliament’s Committee on Social Affairs.

CEO Abdul Razzaq shed light on the challenges encountered by government hospitals, and the efforts undertaken by the government to address these issues. The CEO stressed that although the country’s demographics drastically changed since 1995, the bed count has not been increased to meet the needs of the population. He revealed that while Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital (IGMH) had 186 beds in 1995, the current bed count for the hospitals in Male’ City, Hulhumale’ and Vilimale’ was 316.

The beds are utilised in emergencies, intensive care units (ICU), and to treat other patients. Abdul Razzaq stated that the lack of beds has led to several instances in which patients are treated in the emergency room.

Abdul Razzaq stated that 70 additional beds will be brought to IGMH by the end of this year, to address these gaps in service provision. Highlighting the ongoing hospital development in Vilimale’, he stated that the hospital will commence operations next year. He further noted that the project of upgrading IGMH and the development of a hospital to treat cancer patients will increase the bed count by 650 beds. The CEO also revealed plans to establish an additional building in the premises of Hulhumale’ Hospital as well.

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The Ministry of Finance has announced the decision to implement changes to modernise the state procurement system.

The Finance Ministry said the Electronic Government Procurement (e-GP) system represents the digital transformation of traditional procurement methods. The Ministry has chosen SAP Ariba as the most suitable platform for the Maldives. The primary goal of this system is to facilitate government procurement activities in a transparent and costeffective manner, marking a significant advancement in the modernisation of procurement processes.

Additionally, the Ministry said that the new system will automate and streamline procurement procedures, leading to reduced administrative costs, shorter processing times, and more efficient use of resources.

With SAP Ariba, all procurement activities that currently occur on various platforms can be consolidated into a single platform. It will allow suppliers to engage in all government procurement activities through one unified system, enhancing transaction efficiency, coordination, and accelerating decision-making within public finance operations.

The integration of SAP Ariba with the existing SAP system is expected to further enhance procurement processes and increase transparency in government spending. The Ministry also highlighted that the new system would offer easy access to procurement data and related information, enabling better tracking and management of expenditures and timely reports.

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The Ministry of Fisheries and Ocean Resources has announced a new regulation for line fishing in the Maldives, with specific provisions for where it can be conducted.

The Fisheries Ministry said that the regulation aims to create opportunities for local fishermen, setting requirements for vessels involved in line fishing. The Ministry also noted that some Maldivian vessels have already expressed interest in this type of fishing.

While the regulation opens line fishing opportunities for locals, it also designates specific areas for the activity. As such, line fishing will be permitted within 100 miles of the Maldives Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).

However, it will not be allowed in the northernmost region of the country, where most fishermen are currently active. Instead, line fishing will be allowed from the eastern and western regions of Addu City to the southern part of Alifushi in Raa Atoll.

Fishing will be prohibited north of Raa Atoll. The Ministry has also recently marked the equidistance boundary from the southern region of the country to the southern part of Addu.

The Cabinet decided to allow line fishing in Maldivian territorial waters in March this year. Following this, the Fisheries Ministry drafted the regulation and sought public feedback. The Ministry is currently revising the regulation based on these comments and will implement it after finalising changes and consulting the Attorney General’s Office (AGO).

Some fishermen have expressed concerns about the introduction of line fishing in the Maldives. However, Minister of Fisheries and Ocean Resources Ahmed Shiyam has assured that line fishing will not be permitted if it compromises the interests of fishermen.

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The Ministry of Climate Change, Environment, and Energy has announced that the first shipment of materials for the initial phase of the “Magey Solar” project is scheduled to arrive in September.

The project aims to introduce renewable energy to islands currently powered by Fenaka Corporation Limited. President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu has pledged to increase the renewable energy usage of the Maldives from 4 percent to 33 percent. To achieve this goal, he launched the “Magey Solar” initiative earlier this year, which focuses on generating energy directly from the households of residents and transitioning to renewable energy systems.

Speaking to PSM News, Deputy Minister of Climate Change, Environment, and Energy, Dr Muaviyath Mohamed said that the project is progressing through various stages. He said that preparations have been completed for the first shipment of solar panels and equipment, which will be installed in 750 households during the first phase. He also said that the initial 3 MW of the project will be supported with solar panels and installation equipment by September.

Additionally, Deputy Minister Muaviyath said that the first shipment of 3 MW solar panels will be installed on islands served by Fenaka. The Ministry is also preparing to install an additional 3 MW of solar capacity in the project’s second phase, for which financial assistance is being sought. The solar initiative will also extend to islands served by the State Electric Company Limited (STELCO).

The Ministry said that the solar project will have a direct positive impact on reducing electricity costs for households. Each household is expected to receive between 3 kW and 5 kW of solar power, with the specific amount determined by the energy companies based on the electricity consumption of each household.

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The Maldives Association of Travel Agents and Tour Operators (MATATO) is to compile a report on the avenues discussed in the Women’s Edition of the Maldives Travel Conference.

The inaugural Women’s Edition of the Maldives Travel Conference was held on August 19.

Speaking to PSM News, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of MATATO Aminath Suzan stated that the conference received public approval. Suzan revealed that MATATO has several long-term and short-term objectives which it aims to achieve through this conference. Noting that the objectives cannot be achieved through a one-day conference, she stated the conference was held with a goal of determining challenges women face in the tourism industry and seeking potential solutions.

Suzan disclosed plans to draft policies for relevant authorities and compile a report based on the challenges and solutions discussed.

The conference featured in-depth discussions on the obstacles women encounter in advancing to higher positions within the tourism sector. It also explored societal perceptions of women employed in the industry.

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The Travel and Trade Maldives (TTM) 2024 has officially begun, with over 1,000 participants taking part in this year’s edition.

This year’s TTM features 3,000 pre-scheduled meetings, bringing together around 500 industry professionals. Over 100 resorts and more than 250 agents and tour operators are participating. TTM Maldives offers a platform for tourism sector stakeholders to connect and strengthen business relationships.

The event was inaugurated by Minister of Tourism Ibrahim Faisal, who highlighted the significance of trade shows like TTM for the growth of the tourism sector of the Maldives. He also called for collaboration among industry stakeholders to further develop tourism in the country

During the opening of the event, presentations were delivered by international companies including MasterCard, TripAdvisor, and Fliggy. The TTM awards ceremony and gala night will take place at Adaaran Select Hudhuranfushi.

TTM is the largest travel trade event in the Maldives, facilitating connections between local tourism operators and major travel agents worldwide. This year marks the eighth edition of the event.

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Maldives Industrial Fisheries Company Limited (MIFCO) has decided to provide fishing boats with three tonnes of ice.

MIFCO stated that the initiative to provide fishing boats with three tonnes of ice from the ice plant situated in Thinadhoo City, aims to encourage fishermen to go fishing. The company disclosed that the ice will be continuously supplied to fishing boats until the depletion of the respective stocks.

Although the fisheries industry faced a reduction in productivity previously, MIFCO revealed that the industry has started to see improvements. As such, the number of fish weighed by MIFCO has also increased.