New Delhi: The National Centre for Good Governance (NCGG) successfully concluded the 33rd Capacity Building Programme (CBP) for Maldivian civil servants today, marking another milestone in India-Maldives cooperation. The two-week program, held from September 9 to 20, 2024, was organized in collaboration with India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) and is the first under the renewed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the two nations, signed by India’s External Affairs Minister, Dr. S. Jaishankar, and Maldives’ Foreign Minister, Mr. Moosa Zameer.
The MoU, renewed for the period 2024-2029, commits to training 1,000 Maldivian civil servants, with this programme serving as the inaugural step of this new phase. A delegation of 34 civil servants from Maldives, including Assistant Directors, Senior Administrators, Council Officers, Faculty members, and Community Health Officers, attended the program, representing key ministries and departments of the Maldivian government.
The valedictory session was chaired by V. Srinivas, Director General of NCGG and Secretary of the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG), Government of India. In his address, Srinivas praised the success of the first phase of the capacity-building initiative, which, from 2019 to 2024, trained over 1,000 Maldivian civil servants. He highlighted India’s effective use of technology in governance, particularly in Direct Benefit Transfers, health, education, and administrative services, with a focus on transparency and citizen engagement. He encouraged the participants to apply their learnings in their own government institutions to enhance efficiency and accountability.
The valedictory session also featured presentations by the Maldivian delegates on key topics, including Transparency in Government Procurement in Maldives, Climate Change and its Impact on Biodiversity in Maldives, and Tourism in Maldives. These presentations showcased the knowledge gained by participants throughout the program and reflected their commitment to applying these insights in their home country.
Fathmath Inaya, head of the Maldivian delegation and a representative of the Civil Service Commission of Maldives, expressed heartfelt gratitude to the Indian government and the NCGG for this valuable opportunity. She emphasized how the program has enriched their understanding of good governance and best practices, which will be vital in strengthening governance structures in Maldives.
Dr. B. S. Bisht, Associate Professor at NCGG and Course Coordinator for the program, provided an overview of the two-week initiative, which aimed to share India’s good governance models and best practices from various development schemes. The second week included visits to key institutions such as the Smart City Project, ITDA and Forest Research Institute (FRI) in Dehradun, AIIMS, the International Solar Alliance, and a visit to the iconic Taj Mahal, giving participants a firsthand experience of India’s rich cultural heritage.
The NCGG has trained civil servants from 33 countries, including Bangladesh, Kenya, Tanzania, Sri Lanka, and many others, reinforcing its role as a leader in international capacity building and governance training.
