Economic Minister Mohamed Saeed stated today that efforts are being made to establish relations with countries that the Maldives previously did not have strong trade ties with, prioritizing the easy importation of essential food items commonly required by the country.
Speaking at a press conference of the Crisis Committee established by the President in relation to the ongoing war in the Middle East, Minister Saeed said that in the future, direct talks are being held with countries such as India, China, Malaysia, Vietnam, Indonesia, and Thailand to facilitate the easy import of various other types of goods in addition to those currently brought in.
“We are currently working to build relationships with markets where trade ties have not been significantly developed. The foreign ministry is also undertaking targeted efforts to strengthen these links,” he said.
He noted that while countries like Indonesia are already sources for items such as furniture, discussions are underway to also bring essential goods from them with ease. In this regard, he stated that ways to bring goods via both air and sea routes are being explored.
Minister Saeed said the highest priority is being given to finding ways to make the storage and importation of goods easier than they are now. He mentioned that although the importation of goods from the Middle East, specifically from Dubai, had decreased due to the war, additional air cargo has begun to arrive to some extent since March 4.
"We are closely monitoring the challenges the construction industry may face due to the unrest in the Middle East. Recently, discussions were held with senior officials of MACI. Within the next two days, discussions will continue regarding the matters proposed by them as well," he said.
Minister Saeed stated that continuous work is being done with STO to bring in the fuel and essential food items required by the Maldives. He also noted that discussions are being held with private parties that import food items to the country.
By the end of March, the amount of goods imported into the Maldives has increased by 13 percent.
Minister Saeed said that even in this situation, efforts are being made to continue important projects running in the Maldives without interruption. In this regard, he stated that ease will be provided in bringing construction materials required to continue large-scale projects in the tourism industry without stoppage.
