The governments of Maldives and Japan have signed an Exchange of Notes for the ‘Project for Disaster Resilience Enhancement in Malé City'.

The signing ceremony was held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Tuesday.

The ceremony was joined by Minister of Construction and Infrastructure Dr. Abdulla Muththalib, senior officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Construction and Infrastructure, Ministry of Finance, the Embassy of Japan, and Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

The Exchange of Notes was signed by Minister of Foreign Affairs Moosa Zameer and Ambassador of Japan to the Maldives Takeuchi Midori.

The agreement mirrors the first phase of a comprehensive project aimed at renovating the Malé seawall, under the Japanese Economic and Social Development Programme.

A grant aid of USD 140,000 which is approximately MVR 2,158,800 or 20 million Japanese Yen, is being provided under the agreement.

The funds will support the design phase of the seawall renovation, deemed critical to the safety and strength of the capital city. 

Speaking at the ceremony, the foreign minister of Maldives shed light on the significance of this initiative in efforts to safeguard the Maldives from the increasing threat of rising sea levels and other climate-related disasters.

FM Zameer went on to highlight that the project further mirrors the enduring friendship between the two countries and said that the project will ensure continued protection for future generations.

Touching upon the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami, the minister stressed that the capital city and its residents were protected significantly from the destructive disaster by the seawall constructed with the generous assistance from the Japanese government in the 1990s.

He went on to extend his heartfelt gratitude to the Japanese government for their continuous generous assistance and emphasized the close and friendly relations between Maldives and Japan.

The foreign minister stated that such projects underscore Japan’s ongoing role as a key partner in the Maldives’ development journey.