• SL moots MoU between DMC’s of Colombo and Male

Sri Lanka is preparing to improve its security relationship with the Maldives, with plans afoot to draft a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for a ministerial level annual security dialog between the Indian Ocean island neighbours.

The move comes weeks after Sri Lakna’s State Minister for Defence Premitha Bandara Tennakoon met the Maldives Defence Minister Mohamed Ghassan Maumoon at the Ministry of Defence, Maldives (5 March).

Responding to a query, State Minister Tennakoon confirmed that Sri Lanka was keen to improve the security and defence partnership. “There has been a request from Maldives to station a Sri Lankan Defence Attache in Male, we are also planning to arrange an annual ministerial level security dialog between Maldives and us (Sri Lanka),” Tennakoon said. During his visit, Tennakoon had discussed sustaining ongoing defence training opportunities for the Maldivian National Defence Force (MNDF) at Sri Lankan training establishments. Sri Lanka, India and Maldives cooperates closely on maritime security matters, and for counter trafficking enforcement at sea in the vast expanses of the Indian Ocean.

According to State Minister Tennakoon, a discussion has been held about the possibility of entering into a MoU between the Disaster Management Centre in Colombo, and that in the Maldives. He pointed out that with the frequency of natural disasters increasing, it was important to have a streamlined process to coordinate with neighbouring Maldives, adding that there was a considerable part of the Maldivian population that called Sri Lanka their second home.   

Sri Lanka is also considering annual training programmes with Maldives for the National Cadets Corps (NCC), it is learnt. Sri Lanka already has a similar programme with India, where Cadets are sent on exchange programmes and for specialised training.