US to offer $8 mln to Maldives for four patrol boats

United States is in negotiations to provide $8 million in funding for four patrol boats to the Maldives, US state department said Saturday. 

The discussions took place when Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources Richard Verma visited Malé on February 22 and met with Maldivian foreign minister Moosa Zameer. 

US state department Spokesperson Matthew Miller said the meeting between Verma and Zameer sought to advance shared priorities in increasing economic cooperation, promoting maritime security, and boosting people-to-people ties.

"Deputy Secretary Verma and Foreign Minister Zameer discussed plans for the United States to provide $8 million in funding for four patrol boats to the Maldives, which will help Maldives monitor its waters and deter malign influence by state and non-state actors and other threats to Maldives’ sovereignty," the statement said. 

In these meetings, and a joint meeting with Foreign Minister Zameer, Minister of Economic Development and Trade Saeed, Minister of Defense Maumoon, Minister of Homeland Security Ihusaan, Minister of Climate Change, Environment, and Energy Ibrahim, and Minister of Fisheries Shiyam, the Deputy Secretary also highlighted opportunities for the United States and Maldives to expand bilateral cooperation and people-to-people ties through the opening of a new U.S. Embassy in Maldives and re-opening of Maldives’ Embassy in Washington.

Maldives-US relations has reached new heights since President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu took office in November last year. 

Late last month, Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Donald Lu had also visited Male where he met top officials of the new government. 

Lu later revealed that US was in discussions to provide an aircraft in addition to the patrol boats for Maldives to monitor its maritime border. He also said the US was negotiating with the Maldives government for US development finance corporation to invest in the Maldives.