China donates 880 solar street lights to Maldives under grant aid

The Chinese government has donated 880 solar street lights to the Maldives under its grant aid programme. A special ceremony was held to mark the handover, during which the official agreement was signed by Minister of Construction, Housing and Infrastructure Dr. Abdulla Muththalib on behalf of the Maldives, and Chinese Ambassador to the Maldives Kong Xianhua on behalf of China. The street lights are part of the “China Solar Lights Maldives” project, which supports the government’s efforts to increase the use of renewable energy in the country. Ambassador Kong said the donation was decided during a meeting between President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu and China’s president last year, and highlighted China as a close friend that always provides assistance to the Maldives. The ambassador expressed hope that the new street lights will bring positive changes to the lives of Maldivians. Previous solar street lights donated by China have been installed in three islands, and with this new donation, more islands will benefit, supporting the government’s transition to renewable energy. The government of President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu aims to generate 33% of the country’s energy from renewable sources by 2028. The Ministry of Climate Change, Environment and Energy has said that renewable energy generation in the Maldives has already increased to 116 megawatts.