To enhance governance capabilities in the Maldives, India’s External Affairs Minister, Dr. S. Jaishankar, and the Maldives’ Foreign Minister officially renewed the MoU for the capacity building of 1,000 Maldivian civil service officers. The MoU, which was renewed during the ongoing development partnership discussions between the two nations, extends the program through the period of 2024-2029.
This renewed agreement follows the successful completion of the initial MoU, signed on June 8, 2019, between India’s National Centre for Good Governance (NCGG) and the Maldives Civil Service Commission. Over the past five years, the NCGG has achieved a significant milestone by training 1,000 Maldivian civil servants, including Permanent Secretaries, Secretary Generals, and high-level delegates. The training programs, spread across 32 sessions, focused on field administration, anti-corruption strategies, and information management.
Acknowledging the program’s success, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Maldives, requested the extension of the MoU for another five years. The renewed MoU reaffirms the commitment of both nations to continue this partnership, with a goal to train an additional 1,000 Maldivian civil servants by 2029. The training will cover key areas such as public policy, governance, and field administration, further enhancing the skills and capabilities of the Maldives’ civil service.
The NCGG, under the guidance of India’s Ministry of External Affairs, has been a pivotal institution in fostering knowledge exchange and collaboration in public policy and governance. Its capacity-building programs have not only benefitted the Maldives but have also extended to civil servants from Bangladesh, Tanzania, Gambia, Sri Lanka, and Cambodia, as well as to multi-country programs for Latin American countries and the FIPIC/IOR regions.
Dr. S. Jaishankar, speaking on the occasion, highlighted the importance of this collaboration in strengthening bilateral ties between India and the Maldives. He emphasized that the renewed partnership will continue to promote citizen-centric governance, improve service delivery, and encourage innovations in governance practices in the Maldives.
