Covid-19: foreign ministry's expenditure in line with laws, says report

While compliance audit reports conducted by the Auditor General’s Office in relation to Covid-19 related expenditure has shown signs of corruption, the one conducted on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs says that its actions were within the laws.

The report conducted for the first six months of the year looks into the foreign ministry’s work related to the Covid-19 pandemic.

While the foreign ministry received a budget of MVR 10.1 million for Covid-19 related matters, the report notes that the ministry had spent MVR 7,266,467 from January 1 to June 30.

The report shows that the foreign ministry's expenses were divided into three categories; financial assistance provided to Maldivians stranded abroad; MVR three million, repatriation of Maldivians stranded abroad, including medical students; MVR 4.1 million, as well as miscellaneous expenses.

While the report by the Auditor General’s Office shows that the foreign ministry’s expenses related to Covid-19 was in line with relevant laws and policies, Foreign Minister Abdulla Shahid praised the ministry’s employees for their sincere work amid the pandemic.

Audit reports on the Ministry of Tourism as well as the Ministry of Health shows the possibility of corruption in relation to Covid-19 expenditure. While the president has told the police and Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) to investigate this, Health Minister Abdulla Ameen has stepped aside from duties until the probe completes.