President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has visited the Maritime Disaster Prevention Centre (MDPC) in Yokosuka City, Japan. The President, along with the First Lady, toured the centre this morning as part of his current official visit to Japan.
President Solih was welcomed upon arrival at the facility by Najajma Satoshi, the President of MDPC. During the visit, the President also met with five members of the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) training at the facility and inquired about their progress and experiences. The management and representatives from MDPC also briefed President Solih on emergency management, response mechanisms and training for disaster preparedness exercised in Japan.
President Solih also toured the Oil Spill Control Training Station and Coast Cleaning Training site. MDPC has a state-of-the-art training department targeting oil spill control, firefighting, chemical and Hazardous Noxious Substance (NHS) control, and includes the Daini-Kaihou—a hazardous material response and firefighting training facility.
Japan, an island nation similar to the Maldives, is prone to natural disasters including earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and typhoons; the destructive implications of theses recurring natural disasters led to the enhancement of its emergency management system.
Along with organisational changes and the integration of the latest technological advancements, Japan represents one of the most holistic disaster management systems in the world. The two island countries are currently working on finalising the 'Building Climate Resilient Safer Islands in the Maldives' project through the Green Climate Fund.
The Malé seawall construction project has been a living symbol of the friendly relations between Japan and Maldives in the area of disaster preparedness. Some recent developments in this arena include Japanese grant aid to acquire a fireboat and a landing craft, grant aid to procure equipment and materials for oil spill prevention, and donation of disaster reduction equipment to the Maldives.
