Male’, Maldives – Minister of Defence Mariya Ahmed Didi said today that acts such terrorism and extremism are actions that go against Maldives’ national agenda.
Minister Mariya said this while speaking at the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC)’s high-level dialogue and presentation of the Regional Preventing Violent Extremism Network in South Asia.
During her speech, Minister Mariya thanked the Maldives’ neighbors, the UNODC and the donor Germany, for their assistance to set up a South Asian Regional PVE (preventing violent extremism) Network, and for trusting the Maldives with the great responsibility of being the said Network’s first host country.
A statement by the Ministry of Defence on her Speech reads “She also expressed hope that the Regional Network would be an effective virtual coalition-building space for all governmental and non-governmental practitioners and stakeholders to share knowledge, information and best practices, in a world where enhanced cooperation and intelligence-sharing is the way forward.”
The Defence minister also reiterated President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih’s zero-tolerance policy against terrorism and violent extremism, and stated that the Government of Maldives has doubled its efforts to improve national readiness and preparedness against terror.
Such efforts include establishing the National Terrorism Response Plan and the National PCVE Action Plan and ongoing operations led by the National Counter-Terrorism Center.
Stating that tourists arrivals to the Maldives have greatly increased, Minister Mariya said that the Maldivian people are friendly, and have always loved peace and tranquility.
