Ground Breaking Ceremony of MRCC’s New Building Takes Place

On June 23^rd, the conclusion of the groundbreaking ceremony for the new Maritime Rescue Coordination Center (MRCC) structure took place. The Minister of Defense, Ms. Mariya Ahmed Didi, attended this ceremony, which was held at the Maritime Rescue Coordination Center in Villimale.
 
The goal of this project, which is being funded by the Japanese government and is being carried out with the UNODC's assistance, is to further improve and fortify the Search and Rescue capabilities in the Maldives.
 
Operation rooms, training facilities, and an auditorium will all be included in the finished building once this project is complete. The structure is being planned to include amenities that will enable the Coast Guard to host programs for training in maritime law enforcement and search and rescue.

 
The Maldives are a nation plagued by a number of maritime criminal activities, including IUU (Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated) fishing, piracy, human trafficking, and narcotic smuggling, said Minister Mariya during her speech. She also brought up the fact that the Maldives is highly vulnerable to environmental catastrophes like oil spills and emphasized the significance of having a strong maritime emergency response for nations like the Maldives that rely heavily on their maritime economies.
 
Furthermore, she emphasized that the MRCC's new building will be a crucial step in the continued development of our Maritime forces. She continued by thanking the Japanese government and people for their numerous donations and emphasizing how friendly Japan has always been to the Maldives and how much it has helped us in resolving our maritime-related issues.

 
At this ceremony, Colonel Ibrahim Hilmy, Commandant of the MNDF Coast Guard, also spoke and discussed some of the history and international responsibilities of the MRCC. The Global Maritime Distress and Safety Systems Center was first established in 2003, and in 2012 it underwent changes to become the Maritime Rescue Coordination Center, he said. He also exclaimed with joy that the MRCC's new building will enable further growth and present a chance for future UNODC training programs.
 
Prior to this, on February 21, 2021, at a special ceremony held at MRCC with the intention of enhancing the capabilities of the Maritime Rescue Coordination Center, the "exchange of notes" agreement was signed.

 
In attendance was the Vice Chief of Defence Force Brigadier General Abdul Raheem Abdul Latheef, General officers of the Maldives National Defence Force, Commandant of the MNDF Coast Guard Colonel Ibrahim Hil, the Japanese Ambassador to the Maldives H.E Takeuchi Midori, the Global Maritime Crime Program's UNODC Pernille Wohl Rasmussen, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Ambassador-at-large Mr. Ahmed Saleem, and the Commandant of the MNDF Coast Guard Colonel.

[Photos: MNDF]