The government is advancing efforts to significantly expand its early warning systems in response to escalating climate change vulnerabilities, according to Ali Shareef, the Minister of Climate Change, Environment and Energy.
Speaking on Tuesday at the President’s Office, Minister Shareef highlighted the critical need to fortify disaster preparedness through a broadened national radar network. While the state currently relies on a single installation in Hulhulé, comprehensive plans are underway to deploy additional systems across various regions, the minister said.
The technical expansion, currently in the tendering phase, involves acquiring several smaller radar units and installing a large-scale facility in Gan. "Furthermore, we are in the process of acquiring several smaller radar units, while simultaneously advancing efforts to install a major radar facility in Gan," Minister Shareef stated.
These efforts align with directives from President Dr Mohamed Muizzu, who has reinforced the administration’s commitment to state-of-the-art meteorological technology to ensure island residents receive timely alerts. Current strategies are intricately designed around a robust disaster risk reduction framework, President Muizzu affirmed.
Central to this initiative is the 'Maldives Disaster Risk Reduction Strategy 2024–2030', aimed at safeguarding critical infrastructure. To finance these protections, the administration has advocated globally for increased aid for small island developing states. The Green Climate Fund has allocated USD 25 million to the Maldives to deploy early warning alarm systems nationwide, a grant that will be utilised in partnership with the United Nations Environment Programme, officials noted.