MMA Launches Research Fund to Promote Innovation and Collaboration

The Maldives Monetary Authority (MMA) has launched a research fund with an initial investment of approximately USD 64,855. This initiative, announced during the MMA Research Conference 2024, aims to support the advancement of research and foster innovation in the country. Dr. Mahamood Shougee, Chancellor of Maldives National University, inaugurated the fund at the two-day conference, which attracted researchers, economists, and financial experts from both the Maldives and abroad.

The fund’s primary goal is to create a supportive environment for research, enhance education, and encourage sustainable development practices. Alongside the fund's launch, MMA also signed agreements with two key partners: Dhiraagu, a telecom provider, to promote research for a sustainable future, and Malaysia's Selangor Islamic University, which will focus on advancing research in economics, education, and technology.

The conference, themed "Advancing Economic Research: Policy and Innovation for a Sustainable Future," included keynote addresses, panel discussions, and workshops. One of the highlights was the MMA-ADBI-APAEA Joint Workshop on monetary policy and central banking issues in the Asia-Pacific region. This workshop, co-hosted with the Asian Development Bank Institute (ADBI) and the Asia-Pacific Applied Economics Association (APAEA), discussed key issues affecting the region’s financial stability.

With these initiatives, the MMA is positioning the Maldives as a hub for cutting-edge research and international collaboration.