Malé, Maldives – The Unites States Embassy in Sri Lanka along with the Japanese Embassy has completed a training program for the Maldives Coast Guard.
According to Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) the First Responder Training by US Civil Military support element of US embassy in collaboration with Japan Embassy and MNDF Coast Guard was initiated on 3 August 2021 with 35 participants.
The three day training program was lead by Captain Xiaotao Xu, Civil Military Support Element Director and SSG Nathan Greene, Civil Military Support Element Medical Advisor from the US embassy in Colombo.
The Japanese Embassy in a statement said that since Coast Guard officers are first responders to all maritime accidents, they must be prepared to administer medical support.
This is part of the training programs pledged by the Japanese government to support the maritime safety operations by the Coastguard in the Maldives.
Previously, 16 members of the MNDF Coast Guard, Dive and Salvage Unit completed a training program conducted from 9 to 10 March 2021, by the Japan and US Embassies.
The government of Japan pledged USD 3.7 million to develop the operations at the MRCC in February 2021. The funds will be provided through 3 years, establishing a training facility in the first year, and Search and Rescue Maritime Law Enforcement Training Programs conducted in the second year.
While in November 2020, Japan donated USD 7.6 million to procure communication equipment and diving gear to the Maldivian Coastguard.
