The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and the Maldivian Red Crescent (MRC) have inked a formal agreement to deepen collaboration in disaster management, as part of a concerted effort to reinforce national resilience.
The Memorandum of Understanding, concluded on Sunday, establishes a framework for sustained inter-agency cooperation. It is intended to strengthen the Maldives’ systems for disaster preparedness, emergency response, and post-crisis recovery, an undertaking the NDMA has described as essential to safeguarding lives and livelihoods.
Under the accord, the NDMA and MRC will jointly implement a series of strategic initiatives aimed at enhancing national disaster response capabilities. These include coordinated efforts to deliver humanitarian assistance following emergencies and to structure rehabilitation and recovery operations with greater efficiency and reach.
To support these objectives, the agreement outlines provisions for joint training programmes and the systematic exchange of operational information. These measures are designed to augment institutional capacity and foster resilience within communities, particularly across the country’s geographically dispersed atolls.
Following the signing, the NDMA issued a statement characterising the agreement as a clear affirmation of both entities’ commitment to disaster risk reduction. NDMA officials expressed confidence that the combined efforts of the NDMA and MRC would yield substantive improvements in the Maldives’ disaster preparedness and response infrastructure, offering enhanced protection to citizens in times of crisis.