The Maldives’ disaster response capacity has received fresh institutional support through a United States-backed interagency workshop aimed at improving coordination among first responders and national agencies.
The Maldives Interagency Emergency Management Workshop and Tabletop Exercise was held from 8 to 11 June at Kurumba Maldives. The four-day programme brought together first responders and partner agencies to strengthen preparedness, emergency coordination and disaster response capabilities.
The workshop was organised through collaboration between the United States Government, the National Disaster Management Authority and the Maldives National Defence Force. US partners involved in the programme included the US Indo-Pacific Command’s Center for Excellence in Disaster Management and Humanitarian Assistance, the Montana National Guard, and the Department of State’s Bureau of Disaster and Humanitarian Response.
Several Maldivian agencies also led modules during the programme, including the Ministry of Health, Maldives Meteorological Service, Maldives Police Service and the Maldives Red Crescent Society.
The sessions covered areas central to emergency management, including national disaster governance, civil-military coordination, integrated health response, community engagement and operational weather forecasting. These areas are particularly relevant to the Maldives, where geographic dispersion, climate exposure and logistical constraints can complicate emergency response during major incidents.
During the final two days, participants took part in a tabletop exercise based on an unfolding emergency scenario. Working in interagency teams, they applied the concepts covered during the workshop, with emphasis on coordinated decision-making, communication, cascading impacts and resource management under pressure.
The engagement also reflects the broader partnership between the Maldives and the Montana National Guard under the US State Partnership Programme. The programme is designed to build long-term relationships between US states and partner nations, with a focus on security cooperation and shared preparedness.
For the Maldives, strengthened emergency planning and interagency coordination can support faster decision-making and more effective mobilisation of resources during crises. The collaboration forms part of wider efforts to improve national emergency preparedness and build resilience across the Indo-Pacific region.
