News & press releases

The Maldives Welcomes the Launching of the UN’s COVID-19 Response and Recovery Fund

01 April 2020

The Government of Maldives welcomes the launching of the “United Nations Covid-19 Response and Recovery Fund”, as well as the Report by the United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, announced on 31 March 2020. The UN COVID-19 Fund is a UN inter-agency fund mechanism established to support low and middle-income countries, to overcome the health and development crisis caused by the global Covid-19 pandemic, and to support socio-economic programmes in those countries. The financial requirements of the Fund are projected to be approximately US$ 2 billion, with the US$ 1 billion in the first nine months of operations.The Maldives will be working closely with the UN agencies, as well as its international partners, to access the funds through various programmes and projects.

The Government will be focusing on the needs and requirements of responding to the health emergency and minimizing the socio-economic impact of COVID-19 on the population.As a Small Island Developing State (SIDS) that is dependent on tourism and hospitality industries, the Maldives economy is disproportionately affected by the global pandemic. The UN COVID-19 Fund could play a crucial role in protecting vulnerable groups through social protection mechanisms, food security, digital innovation and other measures to help the country overcome the ongoing crisis.

The Government, in partnership with various UN agencies, is already assessing the economic impact of the pandemic and formulating response measures with the support of the bilateral and multilateral partners.  The Government of Maldives believes that the Secretary-General’s call to action requires global solidarity and partnership in overcoming the enormous challenges faced by countries due to the COVID-19 pandemic.ENDS