The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Global Maritime Crime Program has donated maritime safety equipment to the Maldives National Defense Force (MNDF) Coast Guard.

MNDF said the new equipment is expected to further strengthen the Coast Guard’s capacity to combat maritime terrorism, particularly within the Maldives' maritime zones.

"The initiative underscores a continued commitment to ensuring the security of the nation’s maritime borders," MNDF stated.

Photo: MNDF

The equipment, funded by the European Union Service for Foreign Policy Instruments, was officially handed over during a ceremony at the Maritime Rescue Coordination Center (MRCC).

The UNODC Head of Office in the Maldives, Enrico Boninsegna, presented the equipment, while Brigadier General Mohamed Saleem, Commandant of MNDF Coast Guard, accepted it on behalf of the force.