Government signs EUR 18.4 million loan agreement with EIB
According to a press statement by the Ministry of Finance, the highly concessional loan proceeds will be used to establish a modern National Health Laboratory.
Minister of Finance Ibrahim Ameer
has on 22 June 2022 signed yet another loan agreement – this time borrowing EUR
18.4 million from the European Investment Bank (EIB), for the financing of
Maldives Covid-19 Health Facility Project.
According to a press statement by
the Ministry of Finance, the highly concessional loan proceeds will be used to establish
a modern National Health Laboratory, and develop 18 isolation facilities in the
atolls – to improve the country’s resilience to COVID-19 and potential future
pandemics.
The project is expected “to enhance
the current capacity of the health centres and improve the critical capabilities
for infectious disease preventions, controlling, monitoring, and improve food
and pharmaceutical safety in the country”, as per the statement by the Ministry
of Finance.
Just one week back, on 16 June 2022,
Government signed a loan agreement for EUR 101 million for the Gulhifalhu
Reclamation Project. International institutions and technical experts have been
warning on the alarming unsustainable sovereign debt position of the Maldives,
and the risks of foreign currency reserve depletion.