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India has invested around USD 220 million in Addu in the last few years, says EAM Jaishankar
India has partnered with the Government of Maldives on the Addu Reclamation and Shore Protection Project to find a sustainable way to develop Addu as a regional hub. In his remarks, EAM Jaishankar pointed out that the reclamation of 184 hectares of land was concluded earlier this year.
“This ambitious program of US dollar 80 million involves reclamation for tourism development purposes as well as for the overall economic development of Addu and we heard the mayor speak about it. This would translate in overall growth for the region, bringing in better opportunities for employment, entrepreneurship and trade,” he noted.
Another important project being carried out with Indian assistance is the redevelopment of the Addu roads and Drainage Development with an outlay of USD 70 million. This project is in the last phase and once completed will provide a solution to problems of water logging and roads in Addu. “The Addu Detour link road that is being inaugurated today is an important component of this project and will significantly ease connectivity within the atoll,” EAM Jaishankar stated.
The two projects were inaugurated in the presence of Maldives Foreign Minister Moosa Zameer, Construction & Infrastructure Minister Abdulla Muththalib, Climate Change, Environment and Energy Minister Thoriq Ibrahim, Mayor of Addu City Ali Nizar, Members of Parliament, and the High Commissioner of India to Maldives.
Describing Maldives as a key partner in the Indian Ocean region, EAM Jaishankar said the nation is at the heart of India’s ‘Neighbourhood First Policy’. “It is therefore very natural that the cooperation between our two countries has moved beyond the traditional role and today really aspires to be a modern partnership,” EAM Jaishankar remarked.
Vibrant India-Maldives Development Partnership
The India-Maldives development cooperation is aimed at touching all facets of people's lives here and to find ways of bringing tangible benefits to their lives, EAM Jaishankar stated.
He went on to explain how an Indian Line of Credit (LOC) is helping develop Addu's facilities as a region and also connecting it to the outside world. The government of Maldives under the Indian LOC is undertaking the redevelopment of the Gan International Airport, a connectivity project with an outlay of USD 29 million that will bridge the gap between Addu atoll and Maldives and the rest of the world.
“It will boost investor confidence and increase local tourism in Gan and southern atolls with broader economic gains expected to materialize for many local communities,” EAM Jaishankar remarked.
He also referred to the emphasis on “impactful” community development projects. “We are already partnering on 65 projects of which 12 are in Addu. Five of these projects have already been delivered. We are happy to see the success of this high impact community development project model, expand its footprint and increase its presence on an exponential scale,” he noted.
EAM Jaishankar highlighted several other India-assisted projects that are in progress:
1.The Greater Male Connectivity Project, which is India’s flagship project in the Maldives.
2. The Hanimaadhoo Airport Redevelopment Project which is scheduled to be completed soon.
3. Construction activity on 4,000 housing units in Hulhumalé which is in progress.
On Saturday (August 10, 2024), EAM Jaishankar and Foreign Minister Zameer jointly inaugurated and handed over drinking water and sanitation projects across 28 islands to the Government of Maldives at a ceremony held at the President's Office, which was attended by President Mohamed Muizzu.
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