One year after housing ministry fire; China provides USD 2.8m in aid
A fire on 12 December 2024 severely damaged buildings housing the Ministry of Housing and four other government entities in the Maldives, forcing their relocation to Dharubaaruge. China's ambassador handed over USD 2.8 million in assistance to help procure office supplies and furniture to resume critical government functions. The cause of the fire remains under question with some raising concerns about possible hidden motives
As part of the handover ceremony for the emergency assistance provided by China following the housing ministry fire in 2024
The government of China has provided USD 2.8 million in assistance to the Maldives to support recovery from the fire that damaged the building housing the Ministry of Housing.
The fire occurred on 12 December 2024, severely damaging both the Housing Ministry building and the adjacent Green Building, rendering them unusable.
Although the operations of these ministries were relocated to Dharubaaruge, the government has yet to establish an adequate working environment for employees.
The aid was officially handed over to the Maldives by Ambassador of China to the Maldives Kong Xianhua during a special ceremony held on Thursday morning. The assistance was accepted on behalf of the Maldives by Minister of Finance and Planning Moosa Zameer.
According to the finance ministry, this aid will allow critical government functions to resume and will facilitate the procurement of essential office supplies and furniture.
The assistance from China, the ministry noted, also underscores the strength of the bilateral relationship between the two nations.
The two buildings affected by the fire housed the Ministry of Housing, the Ministry of Infrastructure, the Ministry of Environment, the Environment Protection Agency (EPA), and an office of the Malé City Council. Following the incident, their operations were temporarily relocated to Dharubaaruge.
The fire has also sparked ongoing questions about its cause, with some political figures and members of the public raising concerns about the possibility of hidden motives behind the incident.
