The governments of Maldives and Japan have signed an Exchange of Notes formalizing a grant aid of 194 million Japanese Yen, which is approximately USD 1.3 million, to support the continuation of scholarship opportunities under the Japanese Project for Human Resource Development Scholarship (JDS) for the fiscal year 2025.

Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Sheryna Abdul Samad and Ambassador of Japan to the Maldives Ishigami Rumiko signed the Exchange of Notes during a ceremony at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Tuesday.

The grant will fund six scholarships for Maldivian students this year as part of a project launched by the Government of Japan in August 2020 to support human resource development in the Maldives.

The ceremony was attended by Minister of State for Higher Education, Labour and Skills Development Dr. Abdul Raheem Hasan, along with senior officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Higher Education, Labour and Skills Development, Civil Service Commission, the Embassy of Japan, and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).