Maldives News Bulletin - Volume 135

The newly appointed ambassadors from seven countries to the Maldives paid courtesy calls to Foreign Minister Moosa Zameer. 

The separate courtesy calls from the seven newly appointed ambassadors were held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The Ambassadors included Dr. Ali Achoui, Ambassador of the People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria to the Republic of Maldives; Issé Abdillahi Assoweh, the first Ambassador of the Republic of Djibouti to the Republic of Maldives; Elchin Nariman Oglu Huseynli, Ambassador of Azerbaijan to the Republic of Maldives; Dr. Nikolay Yankov, Ambassador of Bulgaria to the Republic of Maldives; Trinh Thi Tam, Ambassador of the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam to the Republic of Maldives; Vakhtang Jaoshvili, Ambassador of Georgia to the Republic of Maldives; and Jassim bin Jaber J.B. Al-Sorour, Ambassador of Qatar to the Republic of Maldives.

During the meetings, Minister Zameer congratulated the ambassadors upon their appointments and assured them of full cooperation in performing their duties. The Minister and the ambassadors extensively discussed issues of mutual interest. Minister Zameer was accompanied by ministry officials at the meetings.

^{SOURCE : Ministry of Foreign Affairs}

The Ministry of Housing, Land, and Urban Development has started meeting with institutions and ministries to monitor the progress and updates of the Public Sector Investment Programme (PSIP) projects in the islands. The meetings commenced on August 28 by the ministry’s Planning Department. The meetings commenced on August 28 by the ministry’s Planning Department. 

During the meetings, the ministry will seek information relevant to the PSIP projects conducted by the respective ministries or institutions and the most recent updates. So far, the ministry has met with ten administrative bodies.

According to the ministry, this initiative aims to identify the challenges faced by ministries and institutions in conducting projects and provide assistance to resolve these issues.

It will also monitor the progress of individual projects and the associated expenses. Additionally, the meetings concentrate on implementing strategies to accelerate project progress and discussing upcoming projects and their launch preparations. The approved budget for this year was USD 3.2 billion, with USD 577 million designated for PSIP projects. The government allocated a significant portion of the funding for PSIP projects to resolve issues related to inaccurate estimations. The government has decided to allocate the most considerable portion of the 2025 state budget for the PSIP projects to resolve the housing crisis.

^{SOURCE : PSM}

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Maldives, in partnership with the United Nations in the Maldives and key stakeholders from the Government, the academia and civil society, successfully convened the “Summit of the Future Side Event: An Intelligence-Driven Future for the Maldives”. The aim of this event is to advance the knowledge and understanding of digitalization, technology, and innovation among stakeholders and the public, encouraging their engagement on the transformative potential of digital connectivity to strengthen governance and enhance resilience across a wide spectrum of social, economic, and environmental domains. This event was held in anticipation of the forthcoming Summit of the Future being held in New York from 22 to 23 September 2024, emphasizing the crucial role of digital connectivity in addressing the multifaceted economic, social, and environmental challenges faced by Small Island Developing States (SIDS). 

The event was co-hosted by the Minister of Foreign Affairs H.E. Mr. Moosa Zameer and interim UN Resident Coordinator Mr. Bradley James Busetto. The event featured keynote addresses by President of the Maldives His Excellency Dr. Mohamed Muizzu, and an eminent Global Tech Leader and Innovation Ecosystem Builder Mr. Steve Leonard. In his keynote address, President Dr. Muizzu stated that, “looking ahead, our vision is clear: A Maldives where every citizen, every business, and every institution is digitally empowered. We are building a digital economy that is inclusive, innovative, affordable, and sustainable.” 

Furthermore, the President’s remarks reflected the Maldives’ broader strategy of aligning national initiatives with global efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030, particularly in areas of digital connectivity and innovation.

The event’s international speaker, Mr. Steve Leonard highlighted the crucial role of purpose-driven innovation stating that, “The Government can only solve important problems with hard tech built by scientists and engineers. Scientists and engineers can only solve hard problems with supportive Government funding and policies”. 

Following the keynote addresses, a discussion was held among an esteemed panel comprising of Minister of Housing, Land, and Urban Development H.E. Dr. Ali Haidar Ahmed, Minister of State for Homeland Security and Technology H.E. Dr. Mohamed Kinaanath leading the National Centre for Information Technology (NCIT), Dean of Centre for Research and Publication of Islamic University of Maldives Dr. Aminath Shafiya Adam, Director at Villa College Mr. Margret Vijay S. and Co-founder of Women in Tech Maldives and Chief Operating Officer at Sparkhub Ms. Aiesha Adnan. The panelists engaged in an in-depth discussion on the potential of digitalization, innovation and technology to effect transformative changes that address key development challenges. 

The event also served as a vital platform for exploring how digital technologies can revolutionize key sectors of the economy, emphasizing the importance of inclusive engagement and collaboration to fully leverage the benefits of technology, digitalization and innovation. With inclusive participation by students from different universities and high schools, the event provided inspirational insights for young people on their roles and contributions in attaining an intelligence-driven future. 

^{SOURCE : Ministry of Foreign Affairs}

Chief Spokesperson at the President’s Office, Heena Waleed, has announced that preparations are underway to introduce bunkering services for the first time in the Maldives. This afternoon, she made these remarks during a press conference at the President’s Office. The Minister of Sports, Fitness, and Recreation, Abdulla Rafiu, also joined the press conference.

Emphasising the ongoing efforts, the Chief Spokesperson detailed that the State Trading Organisation (STO), Maldives Ports Limited (MPL), and the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade are collaborating to bring the necessary vessels for bunkering services to the country to establish the service within the government’s first year in office. The Chief Spokesperson also highlighted President Dr Mohamed Muizzu’s remarks during this year’s National Day function about reviving the diminishing good behavioural values amongst Maldivians.

At the press conference, Minister Abdulla Rafiu revealed that 264 sports development projects are underway nationwide, with MVR 118 million utilised within the ministry’s scope during the administration’s past nine months in office. He detailed that these projects include building football stadiums, futsal pitches, volleyball courts, and outdoor gyms. The Minister stated that the Maldives had hosted ten international sporting events within this period and would host an additional six international sporting events, including the ongoing sports event at the Maldives Centre for Social Education (MCSE).

At the press conference, the Chief Spokesperson and the Minister answered queries from the media.

^{SOURCE : The President’s Office}

The 57th Session of the United Nations Human Rights Council commenced today in Geneva, Switzerland. The session will be held from 9 September to 11 October 2024. 

Throughout the session, the Council will hold thirty interactive dialogues with Special Procedures mandate holders, expert mechanisms, and investigative mechanisms. Additionally, there will be two enhanced interactive dialogues and six panel discussions offering in-depth discussion on critical human rights issues. The session will also review fifty country situations reports and over eighty thematic reports, offering a crucial platform for international cooperation and dialogue to address global human rights challenges and promote a more just and equitable world.

During this session, the Maldives delegation will deliver national statements under several agenda items, highlighting the government’s key policies and priorities. Notably, the Maldives, on behalf of a group of Small Island Developing States (SIDS) based in Geneva, will deliver a joint statement during the Interactive Dialogue on the Secretary-General’s Analytical Study on Climate Change. This statement will focus on how loss and damage caused by the adverse effects of climate change impact the full enjoyment of human rights. Following the country visit conducted by the Independent Expert on the promotion of a democratic and equitable international order from 12 to 21 March 2024, the session will hold a presentation of the country report. 

Furthermore, as a member of the Non-Aligned Movement and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, the Maldives has expressed concerns about the escalating trend of increasing human rights violations worldwide. During this session, the Maldives will address some of these issues, including delivering national statements during the Interactive Dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on Myanmar and focusing on the humanitarian crisis in Palestine across various agenda items. The Maldives delegation for the 57th Session of the Human Rights Council is led by Her Excellency Ambassador Dr. Salma Rasheed. The delegation includes Counsellor Adam Hamid, Counsellor Uza. Aminath Shifaya Ibrahim, Second Secretary Maryam Fathika Fayaz, Third Secretary Aminath Shadha and Attaché Raaidh Saeedh, of the Permanent Mission of the Republic of Maldives to the United Nations Offices at Geneva.

The Human Rights Council is an intergovernmental body within the United Nations system responsible for strengthening the promotion and protection of human rights around the globe and for addressing situations of human rights violations and making recommendations on them. The Council, composed of 47 Member States, provides a multilateral forum to address human rights violations and country situations. At present, the Maldives is a member of the Human Rights Council, with its current term ending in 2025.

^{SOURCE : PSM}

M.Deep Investment, a Maldivian company, collaborated with a Japanese company to establish the Maldives’ first salt factory. Construction on the project is currently underway in Dhidhdhoo Island, North Thiladhunmathi Atoll.

The Island Council of Dhidhdhoo leased the firm 15,000 acres of island property for 15 years to establish the salt factory. The Island Council highlights that this investment would not only improve the council’s revenue but will also offer new job possibilities for the island’s residents.

In an interview with Public Service Media on the project, Hussain Risaal, owner of M.Deep Investment, which would operate the salt factory, indicated that the decision to invest in the Maldives was made to make use of the country’s natural resources. He stated that the goal was to launch a new business.

Risaal added that the team began work on the project after testing the quality of Maldivian sea salt. He stated that the test findings revealed that Maldivian sea salt is of superior quality and contains more health advantages than sea salt from other countries.

The factory is being built to make salt by naturally drying saltwater using sunlight and heat. Risaal stated that the factory will be ready by the end of 2024. He revealed that 20% of the construction work is completed. 

According to Risaal, the company plans to test the product in large quantities before establishing how much salt the machine can manufacture. He noted that the most significant advantage of locating such a facility in the Maldives is the country’s year-round sunny weather.

Preparing a batch of salt might take up to a week. Dry salt will be manufactured after filtering and cleaning sea salt, and the batches will be evaluated on a monthly basis in the Maldives and Japan. Risaal states that the factory will begin production with five to six employees.

The factory will be producing three types of salt. These include commonly used salt and salt made using special ingredients. The company also aims to experiment and produce a special salt that can be used for preparing salted fish. M. Deep Investment aims to market the products to resorts and residential islands. The company also aims to build four more factories in different parts of the country if the first factory is successful.

^{SOURCE : PSM}

The Maldives Fisheries and Ocean Resources Marketing and Promotion Corporation (MFORMPC) announced that it is aiming to create and launch a distinctive brand for local fisheries products. The corporation has released a tender for the creation of a Maldivian fishing brand.

According to MFORMPC, the selected component will perform extensive market research and gather essential details about Maldivian fishing to establish the brand. The chosen agency will collaborate with MFORMPC to develop the brand and market fish products in the Maldives and globally. 

An information session for those interested in this project is planned for September 12. The deadline for proposal submissions is September 22.

On February 4, 2024, President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu founded Maldives Fisheries and Ocean Resources Marketing and Promotion Limited. This government-owned firm has fixed liabilities and is 100% vested.

The company was founded with the primary objective of expanding the nation’s fishing industry and enhancing its social benefits by promoting and advertising Maldivian products on the global market. This includes products from aquaculture, mariculture, and all marine sources. To boost revenue, the company will launch a distinctive brand for local fisheries, advertising it locally and in various lucrative international markets.

^{SOURCE : PSM}

The Maldives Industrial Fisheries Company (MIFCO) has refurbished the ice facility on Gadhdhoo Island in South Huvadhu Atoll and resumed operations.

MIFCO reports that the Gadhdhoo ice plant can currently generate 50 tonnes of flake ice per day. Previously, the factory generated 25 tonnes of ice daily.

According to the company, ice buckets will be provided to fishermen at the Gadhdhoo ice facility. MIFCO adds that this will make getting ice easier for fishermen, as they will no longer have to extract it themselves.

In addition to Gadhdhoo, MIFCO operates ice plants in Felivaru, Kanduoiygiri, Kooddoo, Thinadhoo, Fuvahmulah, and the AFC Ice Plant in Hulhumeedhoo. 

Furthermore, Fenaka has handed over 18 ice plants to MIFCO, and the company is currently in the transition process. 

The government is attempting to ensure that the fishermen have easy access to ice. These include the construction of ice plants throughout the country and the issue of loans for the installation of saltwater fish cooling systems (RSW systems) on vessels.

^{SOURCE : PSM}