Council signs contract to develop fish factories in Maradhoo, Hulhudhoo

Addu City Council, on Wednesday, signed the contract for the development of fish processing plants in Maradhoo and Hulhudhoo of Addu Atoll.

The MVR 23 million project is conducted under Memorandum of Understanding (Mou) signed between governments of India and Maldives on December 4, 2019.

Speaking via video conference at the ceremony held in Addu, Foreign Secretary Abdul Ghafoor Mohamed called the move "a beacon of hope " for the development of key social and economic infrastructure, that would attract private investments and help boost the city's economy.

He also noted that that the project would enable the communities to overcome the various challenges they face in the fisheries sector, which is a primary economic activity and the largest source of employment in local communities.

In addition to the parliament representative for Addu Atoll's Maradhoo constituency Ibrahim Shareef and parliament representative for Addu Atoll's Hulhudhoo constituency Ilyas Labeeb, the virtual segment of the contract signing ceremony was also joined by Foreign Secretary Abdul Ghafoor Mohamed and High Commissioner of India to the Maldives Sunjay Sudir.

The development of fish factories in Addu is the first project launched under the 'High Impact Community Development' initiatives funded by the MVR 85 million grant signed between India and Maldives.