Japan provides Grant Aid of JPY 122,000,000 to the Maldives to the Project for Human Resource Development Scholarship

Malé, June 30, 2023 – At a ceremony held in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs today, Notes for the Project for Human Resource Development Scholarship (JDS) were exchanged between Her Excellency Takeuchi Midori, Ambassador of Japan to the Maldives, and His Excellency Ahmed Khaleel, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs. His Excellency HAYASHI Yoshimasa, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan and His Excellency Abdulla Shahid, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Maldives witnessed this document exchange ceremony.

　This assistance is in line with the Exchange of Notes signed between the Government of Japan and the Government of the Republic of Maldives in August 2020, which offered Maldivians fully funded scholarships for Master’s Degree in social sciences at the top universities in Japan for the first time. The program spans for 4 years, which commenced from 2020 and each year 5-6 eligible Maldivians will be selected. The total value of the grant aid for the fiscal year 2023 is one hundred and twenty two million Japanese Yen (JPY 122,000,000), which corresponds approximately to USD 890,500.

　This scholarship aims to support human resource development targeting highly capable young civil servants who are expected to engage in policy formulation and implementation of social and economic development policies in the future. JDS fellows are also expected to contribute to enhancing bilateral relations between the Maldives and Japan, with well-rounded knowledge of Japan.

　The JDS project has been implemented in 21 partner countries since 1999. The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) Maldives Office in partnership with the Ministry of Higher Education of Maldives will implement the project.

　The Government of Japan remains committed to further strengthening the socio-economic development in the Maldives.