Maldives News Bulletin - Volume 136

Maldives and India have held extensive discussions pertaining to the enhancement of bilateral ties in the military field. The discussions took place during the Chief of Defence Force Major General Ibrahim Hilmy’s official visit to India. The trip was undertaken by the Chief of Defence Force, to participate in the fifth India-Maldives Defence Cooperation Dialogue held in New Delhi, the capital of India. The dialogue commenced on September 6, with Major General Hilmy as the senior delegation representing the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) and the Defence Secretary of India Shri Giridhar Aramane, as the senior delegation of India.

During the Chief of Defence Hilmy’s official visit to India, he met with several military personnel from India’s military, including the Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan, Chief of the Army Staff General Upendra Dwivedi, Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Dinesh Kumar Tripathi and the Additional Director General of Indian Coast Guard S. Paramesh. These meetings focused on strengthening military relations between the two nations and addressing regional safety and security concerns.

At the dialogue, both nations discussed strategies to enhance the bilateral military ties, increase mutual support in the field of military by sharing information on education and training, while discussing measures to undertake to improve the maritime safety and security of the region. On the sidelines of the dialogue, Major General Hilmy visited the Information Fusion Centre – Indian Ocean Region in India, observing its significant operations.

In addition to Hilmy, Commandant of the Marine Core Brigadier General Abdulla Zuhury, the Defence Advisor from the Maldives to India Brigadier General Mohamed Ibrahim, Commandant of the Service Core Brigadier General Hussain Ibrahim participated in the dialogue. Additionally, Commandant of Coast Guard Brigadier General Mohamed Saleem, Director of the National Counterterrorism Centre Colonel Amanullah Ahmed Rasheed and Principal Director of the Directorate of Plans Policy and Resource Management Colonel Ahmed Mujthaba also attended the event.

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Minister of Economic Development and Trade Mohamed Saeed has called on the youth to collaborate with the government in improving the country’s current situation. He made the statement during a ceremony held at Villa College. He made this statement during a ceremony at Villa College, which marked the rebranding of the Faculty of Business Management and the launch of the Incubation Centre.

Speaking at the event, Minister Saeed highlighted the significant contribution of tourism to the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP). He also emphasised the government’s efforts to diversify the economy by expanding tourism and developing other industries.

Minister Saeed reflected on the challenging economic conditions the current government inherited, noting that national debt had reached MVR 122 billion. He commended the leadership of an educated president committed to national development and urged citizens to set aside political and ideological differences and join efforts to rebuild the country. He also particularly encouraged the youth to take an active role in these initiatives.

As part of the ceremony, the Faculty of Business Management at Villa College was rebranded as the Qasim Ibrahim School of Business, and a new incubation centre was launched. The centre will support students by turning their business or creative ideas into viable ventures, providing them with essential funding and resources. 

^{SOURCE : PSM}

Maldives and Malaysia have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), to strengthen cooperation in higher education between the Maldives and Malaysia. The MoU was signed by the Minister of Higher Education, Labour and Skills Development, Dr. Maryam Mariya and the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Education Malaysia Global Services (EMGS), Novie Tajuddin. 

As part of the agreement, more than 561 scholarships in various fields will be awarded to Maldivian students to study in selected Malaysian institutions, providing them with financial support to achieve their educational goals. As such, students studying in Malaysian universities will be awarded a discount of 2-100% from their course fees.

The scholarship allocation is as follows: 

Arts and Humanities: 75 scholarships 

Engineering and Technology: 150 scholarships 

Life Sciences and Medicine: 63 scholarships 

Natural Sciences: 11 scholarships 

Social Sciences and Management: 255 scholarships 

Other fields: 7 scholarships

Speaking at the signing ceremony, Minister Dr. Mariya stated that these opportunities presented to students will give them a golden opportunity to complete courses from globally recognised universities. Highlighting that this was also an opportunity to develop human resources in significant fields required for the Maldives, the minister reiterated the government’s overarching goal of founding a generation capable of driving national development. 

Meanwhile, the CEO of EMGS assured that the Malaysian authorities will ensure smooth arrangements for students to secure their visas and will also provide the course fees. He also reaffirmed Malaysia’s commitment to further strengthening bilateral ties in education and expanding future opportunities for Maldivian students. 

Malaysia remains a popular destination for Maldivian students, with approximately 1,700 currently enrolled in various universities across the country. The Ministry of Higher Education, Labour and Skills Development revealed that students currently seeking education and those planning to obtain education in Malaysia through loans, can also benefit from this opportunity.

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Minister of Housing, Land and Urban Development Dr. Ali Haidar Ahmed has stated that building a society familiar with modern tools and digital technology is essential for bridging the gap between the capital city and the outlying atolls. He made the remarks during the penal discussion of the “Summit of the Future Side Event”. 

Speaking at the penal discussion, Minister Dr. Haidar noted that the geographical layout of the Maldivian islands presents challenges for the government in delivering equal services across all islands. He stated that connecting the nation via digital systems, leveraging modern resources and ideas, will help overcome these challenges. He added that the creation of new businesses and a technology-friendly generation will drive national development. 

Minister Dr. Haidar also noted that improvements are needed in areas such as increasing energy production from natural resources and modernizing climate change monitoring facilities in the country. He also noted the importance of establishing more facilities to increase fisheries yields and using “smart” systems to ensure road safety. Additionally, he stressed the importance of having a modern system with all relevant information about the Maldives. 

The Minister further said that increasing educational opportunities through innovative ideas will also play a major role in moving the nation forward. He highlighted the importance of providing educational opportunities in new fields and the introduction of new technologies. 

Summit of the Future Side Event: A Vision for Intelligence Driven Future for Maldives is a joint event organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and UN Maldives. It was held in preparation for the UN Summit of the Future to be held in New York from 22 to 23 this month. The panel discussion focused on building a society that is familiar with modern resources to facilitate community services.

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The Ministry of Higher Education, Labour, and Skills Development has announced the establishment of a register for retired service personnel, as well as technical and administrative staff who are hesitant to accept permanent employment. The registration for this opportunity is now open.

A regulation was introduced in August reinstate technical and administrative employees who have either left the service or declined permanent positions. The ministry explained that the register is part of a special policy designed to facilitate the return of these professionals. The deadline for registration is September 8, 2025, before 1400hrs.

The initiative, endorsed by President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu, is designed to address challenges in recruiting professionals and to offer employment opportunities to experienced individuals across various fields. The recruitment will occur through this special register, with individual agencies responsible for hiring from it.

The individuals listed in the register will be hired under specific circumstances, such as when an employee is on maternity leave or long-term leave, when a position has been advertised twice without success, for temporary employment until a permanent hire is made, or for seasonal work.

The regulation also provides employment opportunities for those who have left the service for various reasons and those unwilling to commit to full-time positions. In certain cases, when duties can be effectively performed remotely, individuals will be hired under flexible arrangements. In addition, retired civil service staff from administrative roles will be considered for re-employment. However, front office counter service jobs and senior management positions are excluded from the scheme.

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Controller General of Immigration Mohamed Shamaan Waheed has stated that past failures in law enforcement should not be used as an excuse for current inaction.

In a social media post, Controller General Shamaan highlighted that the constitution and laws are designed to safeguard and protect the rights of all residents equally, not just the interests of certain individuals. He acknowledged that implementing these laws might pose challenges for some but stressed the necessity of enforcing them. Shamaan affirmed the Maldives Immigration’s commitment to fulfilling its responsibilities and duties as stipulated by legislation.

While Shamaan has made the statement, affirming the implementation of laws, the Immigration is actively working to resolve the issue of illegal immigrants residing in the Maldives.

Under these efforts, it has launched a special operation to determine immigrants without valid documentations, halting business operations conducted by such immigrants illegally. Shamaan also revealed plans to expand this operation across the atolls and islands as well.

Resolving the issue of illegal immigrants is one of the top priorities of the government. As such, efforts are underway to gather information on immigrants living in inhabitant islands, resorts, industrial islands and islands designated for agricultural purposes.

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The Maldives Marketing and PR Corporation (MMPRC/Visit Maldives) has represented the Maldives at the recent ‘2024 Tropical Coastal City Tourism Event’ held in Sanya, Hainan, China, from September 4-5. This prestigious event, supported by the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA), was organised by the Bureau of Tourism, Culture, Radio, TV and Sports of Sanya City and Sanya Tourism Board.

The Maldives delegation at this event included Mr Abdulla Ghiyas Riyaz, Chairperson of MMPRC, and Mr Ibrahim Shiuree, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director (CEO & MD). The Chairperson delivered a compelling address on “The Maldives Story & Innovative Tourism Marketing for Tropical Cities” during the Thematic Sharing portion of the event. He highlighted the unique qualities that make the Maldives an unparalleled vacation spot and shared the innovative marketing strategies employed by MMPRC to promote the tropical holiday destination.

CEO & MD Shiuree joined as one of the experts on the panel discussion titled “Insight Sessions: International Tourism Marketing.” He discussed key topics such as public-private collaboration, the importance of upskilling tourism workers, and the diversification of the Maldives’ tourism product to ensure equitable distribution of tourism revenue across the nation.

“The success of our tourism industry depends on a unified vision between the public and private sector in driving responsible tourism practices and sustainable growth,” CEO & MD Shiuree said during the panel discussion.

The 2024 Tropical Coastal City Tourism Event provided a valuable platform for sharing insights, networking with industry professionals, and exploring opportunities for sustainable development in tropical coastal regions. In addition to the thematic sharing and insight sessions, the event featured a variety of activities such as concurrent sessions on sustainable tourism, indigenous tourism, and global tourism quality as well as a business matching session. MMPRC’s participation in the event allowed us to showcase the Maldives’ commitment to innovative tourism marketing and our role as a leading global tropical destination.

^{SOURCE : Visit Maldives}

Parliamentarian Dr. Anara Naeem has affirmed that the Parliament’s commitment to bring the necessary legal amendments, aiming to better protect the rights of individuals with disabilities.

Speaking at the ceremony held to inaugurate the Stakeholder Forum on the Rights of Individuals with Disabilities, Dr. Anara Naeem underscored the importance of creating an environment in which people with disabilities feel welcome and live independently. She affirmed that the Parliament would bring any required changes to the legislation, to ensure and safeguard the rights of such individuals. She further acknowledged the challenges individuals with disabilities encounter in receiving education and treatment as well.

The one-day Stakeholder Forum, was organised by the Human Rights Commission of the Maldives (HRCM), in collaboration with the United States Agency for International Development (US-AID) and the International Foundation for Electoral System (IFES).

HRCM stated that the forum aims to analyse the current situation of the nation, related to the rights of people with disabilities, adding that it will play a pivotal role in increasing awareness on the difficulties and challenges faced by the such individuals. The forum was attended by 60 participants, including representatives from government authorities, companies, organisations, and individuals with various types of disabilities.

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The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has held discussions on the establishment of a resident mission of ADB in the Maldives.

The discussions were led by Executive Director of ADB Dr. Justine Diokno-Sicat during his current visit to the Maldives. He met with officials from the Ministry of Finance, including Minister of Finance Dr. Mohamed Shafeeq, to explore efforts aimed at strengthening the financial sector of the country. The meeting also covered the fiscal reforms being implemented in the Maldives, as well as areas of cooperation between the Maldives and ADB, including the potential establishment of an ADB resident mission.

Dr. Diokno-Sicat’s three-day visit to the Maldives involves meetings with various government officials. During a separate meeting, Minister of Construction and Infrastructure Dr. Abdulla Muththalib also provided an overview of the government’s strategy for executing infrastructure projects, fiscal constraints, and plans for continuing the ongoing projects.

The Maldives has been a member of the ADB since 1978. It has received both financial and technical support for numerous development projects.

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