Maldives and Japan have signed an agreement for the design of the seawall renovation project in Male' City.
The agreement was signed by the Minister of State for Construction and Infrastructure Ibrahim Thoaam Mohamed and Chief Consultant from Japan's consultant team Hiromi Namiki.
The construction ministry said that the agreement primarily focuses on the detailed design work of the seawall planned for renovation in Male' City.
The ministry aims to complete the design phase by the first quarter of next year.
This agreement follows the Exchange of Notes signed between the Maldives and Japan in September, as well as the Grant Aid agreement signed in October. The project is part of Japan’s Economic and Social Development Programme, with the Japanese government providing a donation of USD 140,000 to fund the design phase of the seawall renovation.
The seawalls surrounding Male' City stand as a symbol of the strong bilateral relations between the Maldives and Japan. Following the 1987 tidal wave that caused significant flooding in Male', the Japanese government fully funded the construction of the seawall to mitigate the impact of such natural disasters.
Research for the seawall's construction was conducted between 1991 and 1992, and the design and implementation phases took place from 1993 to 2002. This project remains one of the largest construction initiatives in Male' City.
Diplomatic relations between the Maldives and Japan was established in 1967. This year marks the 55th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries.