On June 25, 2024, during an official visit to the U.S. by the Maldivian Foreign Minister, it was revealed that efforts are underway to increase funding from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).
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In early June 2024, headlines both locally and internationally reported that U.S. lawmakers were preparing a bill to halt aid to the Maldives. This development followed the Maldives' bold move to express support for Palestine amid the ongoing genocide, including discussions about potentially banning Israeli passport holders from entering the country.
Since October 7, 2023, the war on Palestine by Israel has intensified, prompting a global movement to boycott brands supporting Israel. As part of this movement, even smaller nations like the Maldives began demonstrating unwavering support for Palestinians. Maldivian politicians faced pressure to enact legislation banning Israeli passport holders from entering the Maldives. The United States reacted swiftly, with major news outlets, including Axios, reporting that both Democrats and Republicans were preparing a bill to stop aid to the Maldives, arguing that American taxpayer dollars should not fund a country implementing such a ban.
Despite the significant media coverage, the likelihood of this bill passing appears minimal. On June 25, 2024, during an official visit to the U.S. by the Maldivian Foreign Minister, it was revealed that efforts are underway to increase funding from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). This announcement came from both the Maldivian government and USAID. Discussions between the Maldives and USAID focused on several key areas:
- Enhancing efforts to develop the economy, protect the environment, and strengthen democratic institutions.
- Addressing the debt problems faced by the Maldives.
- The Maldives' decision to join the Open Government Partnership.
- Collaborating with USAID to strengthen ties with residential islands and resorts to boost the economy.
- Further developing the decentralization system and increasing the capacity of village councils and women's development committees.
In addition to meetings with USAID officials, the Maldivian Foreign Minister's U.S. trip includes scheduled meetings with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and senior government officials, as well as attending a Council on Foreign Relations meeting. With this, the possibility of Maldives continuing to get funding from the US remains positive, as the chances for the reported bill by US lawmakers start to diminish.
