The Fourth Viavathi Raajje Conference To Take Place In The North

The President’s Office has announced that the fourth Viavathi Raajje Conference will be targeted towards the Northern atolls of the Maldives with this edition set to be hosted at Haa Dhaalu Hanimaadhoo. The fourth Viavathi Raajje Conference will take from 12^th-14^th May 2023.

Since its inception in December 2019, the Viavathi Raajje conference has served as a valuable platform that connects local governments and Women’s Development Committees to decision-makers in the administration. The President and a high-level delegation of cabinet ministers and senior government officials attend each conference. Local representatives can then directly put forward their ideas and concerns to the delegation and together discuss the potential solutions.

Since the eighth amendment was brought to the Decentralization Act and ratified by the President, it allowed local councils to exercise more fiscal and legal autonomy in their respective regions. Through the Viavathi Raajje Conference, the administration provides a floor for local councils to voice their opinions, ensuring that development decisions relating to the area are carried out with the input of its residents. It also helps the government adhere to its policies of good governance.

Following the inaugural Viavathi Raajje Conference, two more editions have been held, each directed at a specific area of the country. The second edition was held in AA. Ukulhas for the central atolls in May 2022 while the third edition took off in L.Gan for southern atolls in September of the same year. Ultimately, it empowers local governments to take charge of their development.