The Government of Japan has committed a grant of Japanese Yen three hundred and forty-seven million (¥ 347,000,000), (approximately USD 2.5 million which is equivalent to Maldivian Rufiyaa 38.5 million) to UNODC to provide comprehensive assistance to the Government of Maldives to effectively prevent, detect, investigate and prosecute cases of drug trafficking, crimes in the fisheries sector, and crimes affecting the marine spaces affecting the Maldivian archipelago.
The project aims to ensure human rights-based detention of those sentenced under these offences, as well as effectively prevent and counter terrorism and violent extremism by strengthening communities’ resilience and providing comprehensive rehabilitation and reintegration (R&R) support.
The grant agreement was signed by Her Excellency Mrs Takeuchi Midori, Ambassador of Japan to the Maldives, and Mr Marco Moreira De Sa Assuncao Teixeira, Regional Representative, UNODC Regional Office for South Asia.
The overall objective of the 3-year project is articulated into five outputs:
Output 1. Prevention: Strengthened knowledge and skills and coordination capacities among criminal justice actors and local stakeholders to tackle root causes driving individuals to engage in illegal conducts at land and sea.
Output 2. Detection: Increased efficiency and technical capacity of maritime security practitioners within relevant government agencies to timely identify and respond to threats originating from the maritime domain.
Output 3. Investigation: Consolidated ability of criminal justice practitioners in the identification, collection, and handling of drug-related information and items, for the purpose of the establishment of a criminal trial.
Output 4. Prosecution: Raised awareness and competencies across relevant government agencies to fairly and effectively prosecute suspects of unlawful conduct linked to the maritime domain, including drug trafficking, crimes in the fisheries sector and crimes affecting the marine space.
Output 5. Detention, rehabilitation and reintegration: Improved capacities of practitioners working with convicted individuals to effectively engage toward the rehabilitation and reintegration of the offenders, coordinating with relevant counterparts and upholding international human rights standards.
The Government of Japan remains committed to an enduring friendship with the Maldives and will substantially contribute to the “Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP)” policy by continuing to work together to advance the prosperity and to ensure the safety and security of the people in both our countries, the region and beyond.
