The Ministry of Youth, Sports and Community Empowerment has signed an agreement with China’s Fujian Province to donate sports equipment to the Maldives. The agreement was signed by the Maldivian Minister of Sports, Abdullah Rafiu, and the Vice Governor of Fujian Province, Wei Xiaoqui. At a special ceremony held yesterday at Bandos Maldives, the Vice Governor of Fujian Province stated that in addition to donating sports equipment, they would also place special emphasis on human resource development in assisting the Maldives in the field of sports.
At this ceremony, the Sports Minister acknowledged and expressed gratitude for the assistance provided to the Maldives by China’s Fujian Province. He also thanked China for training volleyball coaches in addition to donating sports equipment to the Maldives. Furthermore, the Minister expressed appreciation to the Chinese government for the opportunities provided to train Maldivians in basketball coaching, player development, and sports medicine.
The sports equipment donated to the Maldives by Fujian Province includes table tennis tables, jerseys, and other items. Earlier this year, Fujian Province had also donated some equipment to the Maldives. That time, they donated equipment related to athletics, table tennis, and football. Some of these items are now being used in the islands.
Earlier this year, Sports Minister Rafiu visited Fujian Province and met with the governor. During that trip, the Minister discussed with the Governor the Governor of Fujian Province about areas where China’s assistance is needed for the Maldives to achieve high-level success in sports. The Governor of Fujian Province also assured during that trip that the Chinese government would assist the Maldives in acquiring equipment for sports facilities being established in the Maldives and in human resource development.
A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the Maldives and the Sports Bureau of China’s Fujian Province in February this year. The MoU includes provisions for joint training programs in sports, assistance in promoting athletes, teams, and clubs. It also includes human resource development in sports-related fields, including training of health officials, coaches, referees, umpires, and officials specialized in anti-doping. Additionally, it includes facilitating more opportunities for Maldivian athletes and teams in the international arena and sports-related activities.
When this MoU was signed between the Maldives and China, President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu had visited Fujian Province during his official trip to China last year. The Director General of the Fujian Province Sports Bureau, Dong Jin Song, had previously stated that this trip further strengthened the relationship between the two countries.
