Maldives has received additional 100,000 doses of the Covishield vaccine produced by the Serum Institute in India, as grant aid.

The symbolic handover of 100,000 Covishield vaccine doses were carried out at an event at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Saturday, by the External Affairs Minister of India, Dr. Dr. S. Jaishankar and the Maldivian Minister of Health, Ahmed Naseem.

Speaking at the event Foreign Minister Abdulla Shahid stated that the gifting of additional 100,000 doses of the Covishield vaccine, by the people of India to the people of Maldives will ensure that the Maldives keeps its vaccination rate high.

During his speech, Minister Shahid thanked the Indian people, for standing in solidarity, for being the partner and friend, of Maldives in the past, and today. He also expressed gratitude to the Indian Government – especially Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his commitment to the neighborhood, and in particular to the Maldives, on behalf of President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, and the Government and people of the Maldives.

Minister Shahid stated that even as the entire world is ravaged by wave after wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Government and people of India have displayed selfless bravery and courage in the face of adversity. He said that even whilst caring for their own, the Government of India continues to extend aid and assistance to the Maldives and that this is a fine mark of the unique relations between the two countries.

He said that India has been helping the Maldives from the very early stages of the pandemic, when the country was in need for uninterrupted supply of essential food and medical equipment and medicines.

During his speech, Minister Shahid placed emphasis that several of the projects under the LoC are nearing the end of tender stage and moving to implementation. He stated that both the countries will be signing the contract for the construction of roads and storm water drainage in Addu City, on Sunday.

Minister Shahid said that both the governments are discussing on signing the contracts for several more projects, including the establishment of water and sanitation facilities in 34 islands, in the coming weeks. Both the Governments are committed to ensuring a quick process and at the same time, are equally committed to transparent, fair and objective process, stated the Minister.

The Foreign Minister also stated that the Maldives is encouraged to see more Indian investment coming in, working on key areas of the Government’s Action Plan and that both the Foreign Minister and the External Affairs Minister of India had discussed about further encouraging investment and building business-to-business linkages between both the countries.

While many aspects of the development partnership between India and Maldives reviewed on Saturday, Minister Shahid stated that the five MoUs that were signed between both the countries will serve as enduring symbols of the robust Maldives-India partnership.