The Japanese government has on Monday, donated marine pollution response equipment to Maldives.

The equipment worth MVR 43.3 million was provided under the ¥ 300 million grant signed in December 2018, by Foreign Minister Abdulla Shahid and then-Japanese Ambassador Kazumi Endo. Kentaro Sonoura, Special Advisor of the Prime Minister of Japan, was also present at the ceremony.

Minister Shahid thanked his Japanese counterpart, Motegi Toshimitsu, for the donation as well as “continuous support in promoting economic and social development in Maldives.”

Diplomatic relations between the Maldives and Japan was established on 14 November 1967, and the east asian country has since been a consistent partner of Maldives.

Earlier in August, Shahid signed an agreement with Japan’s incumbent Ambassador to Maldives Keiko Yanai, to provide scholarships for 24 Maldivian students. Further, an Exchange of Notes for a grant aid worth USD 5.6 million was signed in June and in May, Japan provided a grant of USD 356,400 for UNICEF Maldives and USD 185,000 for Maldives Red Crescent to assist the Maldivian government’s Covid-19 response efforts. It has also committed a grant of USD 1.4 million to the UNDP Maldives in support of small and medium enterprises in agri-businesses affected by COVID-19.