Male, Feb 5: In his Parliament address, Maldives President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih underlined India's role in the country's development. He recalled India’s help in the development of Addu city. The president in his speech announced that in December the country repaid the $250 million swap facility taken from India's central bank, the RBI. The facility was taken in July 2019 to help manage the state's reserve.

 

 

The president said, "Currently, with the line of credit provided by India’s Exim Bank, roadwork is being carried out to rectify the flooding problem in the city," while pointing out that the city's development is “crucial for the development of the rest of the country.” Addu is the second-largest urban area in the Maldives. Notably, India's Afcons engineering company and the Maldives had signed a $500 million infrastructure project for the construction of the Greater Male connectivity Project (GMCP) last year.

 

 

Last year, India also signed a pact for social housing units in the Maldives. India's Exim bank has concluded an agreement with Maldives Fahi Dhiriulhun cooperation to extend buyers credit of around $227 million for the construction of 4,000 social housing units in Hulhumale Phase 2. The president expressed optimism on the installation of solar units in thousand of homes before the end of the year under the solar programme.

 

Apart from this, he also mentioned the use of Dornier aircraft during “multiple operations” taken by the Maldives military. He stated that the country's coast guard "provided emergency assistance to a total of 531 people in 364 incidents at sea, and transported 2,199 emergency patients without any consideration to weather conditions."

 

 

India has given Dornier aircraft to the country, the discussion for which started in 2016. Most of these Dorniers given to the Maldives National Defence Force have been engaged in humanitarian efforts and EEZ surveillance. The address was delivered in accordance with Section 84 of the Maldives Constitution at the start of the first session of Parliament that started on Thursday.

 

One of his key announcements during the address was a nationwide campaign called the “National Moderation Campaign” to combat extremist ideologies. The campaign will commence this year.