The Chinese government has donated 880 solar-powered streetlights to the Maldives as grant assistance. A special ceremony was held to hand over the streetlights.
At the handover ceremony, Minister of Infrastructure, Housing and Urban Development Dr Abdulla Muththalib signed the official agreement on behalf of the Maldivian government, while Chinese Ambassador to the Maldives Kong Xianhua signed on behalf of the Chinese government.
The streetlights were donated under the China Solar Lights Maldives project, which aims to support the Maldives’ transition to renewable energy. The donation forms part of China’s grant assistance to strengthen the government’s efforts to increase the use of renewable energy across the country.
Speaking at the ceremony, Ambassador Kong said the decision to donate the streetlights was made during a meeting between President Dr Mohamed Muizzu and the Chinese President last year. He also highlighted China’s continued support for the Maldives, describing China as a close partner that consistently provides assistance to the country.
The ambassador expressed hope that the project would bring positive changes to the lives of Maldivians. Three islands have already installed solar streetlights donated by China. The latest donation is expected to extend the installations to additional islands, supporting the Maldives’ transition to renewable energy.
The government of President Dr Mohamed Muizzu aims to generate 33 per cent of the Maldives’ electricity from renewable sources by 2028. To achieve this target, the government is implementing renewable energy projects across various parts of the country.
The Ministry of Climate Change, Environment and Energy has stated that the Maldives’ renewable energy generation capacity has increased to 116 megawatts.