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Thursday 19 Sep 2024
LOCAL EDITION
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LOCAL EDITION
President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu (L) meets with India’s Minister of External Affairs Dr. S. Jaishankar (R) in Male', Maldives, on August 10, 2024. (Photo/President's Office)
Indian External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar described the mutual benefit of the people of Maldives and India as the bedrock of the partnership between the two countries on Saturday, as he officially handed over New Delhi-funded projects that saw the establishment of essential facilities in dozens of islands across the Maldives.
The top Indian diplomat arrived in Male’ the previous day in his first visit to the country since the new Maldivian administration took office in November last year.
He attended a ceremony held at the President’s Office on Saturday afternoon to mark the official handover of water and sewerage facilities in 28 islands. The projects were financed through a USD 800 million line of credit via India’s Exim Bank.
Speaking at the ceremony, Jaishankar said that mutual benefit forms the bedrock of Maldives-India partnership.
“The bedrock of our partnership is the mutual benefit of our peoples. This is manifested in diverse sectors of our cooperation – health, education, large infrastructure development, defense, maritime, agriculture, banking and adapting for climate resilience,” he said.
He said that New Delhi seeks to expand this list moving forward, and harness the multifaceted partnership to realize the aspirations of the people of Maldives and India.
“Our development partnership is driven by the needs and priorities of the people and the government of Maldives and is a judicious mix of grants, loans, budgetary support, capacity building and training assistance. We are now entering a phase where many of these projects are getting realized on the ground, delivering tangible benefits to the common people,” he said.
The projects hand over on Saturday includes water supply facilities in 22 islands, sewerage facilities on two islands, and combined water supply and sewerage facilities in four islands.
Water supply facilities were built in:
Sewerage facilities were built in:
Water and sewerage facilities were built in:
The projects will directly impact the lives of over 28,000 people residing in the 28 islands – making for seven percent of the total population of the country.
Jaishankar said that in India’s efforts to expand the scope and benefits of development cooperation, they are also mindful of the challenges posed by climate change, especially, for small island developing state such as the Maldives, which are even more vulnerable to the vagaries of rising sea levels.
“One of the immediate concerns is the availability and access of freshwater resources. It has been our objective to provide ecologically sustainable low-cost solutions to our development partners so that they are not only able to access potable water but also have the capability to treat sewage, thereby, protecting the delicate ecology of these islands and atolls,” he said.
Jaishankar said that the latest technologies were used to provide clean drinking water and safe sewerage disposal in the 28 islands.
The facilities are also equipped with solar energy providing support to the island grids.
“With a total funding of a USD 110 million, this is the largest climate adaptation implemented in Maldives with international collaboration,” he said.
Jaishankar noted that the completion of the project also supplemented the Maldivian government’s efforts in achieving its Sustainable Development Goals by establishing climate resilient and cost-effective water and sewerage systems.
“India-Maldives development cooperation embodies the motto of our partnership – ‘Imagined by Maldives, Delivered by India’. It will be our endeavor to harness this defining feature of our relationship and scale greater heights,” he said.
