Ministry of Defence signed an agreement to become a member of the US Montana National Guard State Partnership Programme to build the capacity and readiness of the Maldives defence sector.
The agreement was signed by Minister of Defence Mariya Didi and Adjutant General of Montana National Guard Major General John Hronek at the integrated headquarters of the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF).
Speaking at the ceremony, Minister Mariya said the enrollment of the Maldives in the prestigious programme is one solid outcome of the framework agreement signed in September 2020, which formalised the way forward in cementing US-Maldives defence and security cooperation. The minister said the Government of the Maldives is reiterating its commitment to deepening the cooperation by enrolling in the programme.
Furthermore, Minister Mariya said the Montana National Guard State Partnership Programme is tailored to meet the unique requirements of the Maldives defence and security landscape, by facilitating engagements in key areas such as maritime domain awareness, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, cyber defence and communication security, aviation security operations, as well as chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, environmental defense and response.
The ceremony was attended by members of the US Delegation, Chief of Defence Force Major General Abdulla Shamaal and officers of MNDF, as well as Chief Executive Officer of National Disaster Management Authority Hisan Hassan, and Director of Anti-Human Trafficking Ali Jaishan Amir.