Maldives, India sign MoUs for seven new High-Impact Community Development Projects

The governments of Maldives and India have signed agreements to implement major development projects in Maldives, under the High-Impact Community Development scheme.

In a press release issued on Monday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs revealed that signing ceremony of seven Memorandums of Understanding between the government of Maldives and government of India took place at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Monday .

All seven MoUs were signed on behalf of the government of Maldives by Minister of Foreign Affairs Abdulla Shahid and the High Commissioner of India to Maldives, Munu Mahawar on behalf of the Indian government. The agreements were also signed by the respective implementing agencies at the ceremony.

According to the ministry, the MoUs will be carried forth under the Indian grant assistance scheme for High Impact Community Development Project through local bodies (HICDP).

Parliamentarians of the respective constituencies, members of island councils as well as senior officials from both the High Commission of India in Maldives and the Maldivian government witnessed the signing ceremony.

Highlighting that the projects launched under the MoUs will strengthen the Maldivian government’s efforts in the progress of socio-economic development in local communities by promoting health and wellbeing, empowerment of youth and preservation and protection of culture and heritage, FM Shahid extended his sincere appreciation and gratitude to the Indian government for the key role it continues to play in promoting the socio-economic progress of the island nation.

The seven projects launched under the agreements are priced at a total grant of MVR 26.8 million which is equivalent to approximately USD 1.7 million.

Maldives and India initially signed the overarching MoU on Indian Grant Assistance for Implementation of High Impact Community Development Projects through local bodies on 17 March 2019. The principal MoU was priced at MVR 85 million and was renewed with an increment of up to MVR 155 million which is equivalent to USD 10 million approximately, on 23 July 2021.

The announcement to implement seven new projects under the Indian High-Impact Community Development Project (HICDP) grant assistance scheme was made during India’s External Affairs Minister, Dr. Subrahmanyam Jaishankar’s recent visit to the Maldives.

With the inception of these new projects, a total of 27 projects have currently been funded by the Indian High-Impact Community Development Project (HICDP) grant assistance scheme.

In addition to this, 18 additional projects have been allocated for Maldives under the grant assistance, valued at MVR 106 million. Of these, 15 have already been completed and inaugurated.

During his recent visit, Dr. Jaishankar inaugurated two projects undertaken in Addu City with the Indian grant assistance under the High Impact Community Development Projects scheme; “Vilunu” drug rehabilitation facility, and “Mulimathi” tourism zone as well.

The Indian High Commission revealed that they prioritize the needs of the island communities in designing the HICDPs and that most of these projects will be run by the local councils of the respective islands.

Further, Dr. Jaishankar and FM Shahid witnessed the signing of multiple key agreements such as, the reciprocal recognition of Covid-19 vaccination certificate which will facilitate easier travel between Maldives and India as well as the Peering Agreement for connectivity between the Higher Education Network of Maldives and the National Knowledge Network of India.