The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) will establish an office in the Maldives to bolster the country’s fishing industry, according to the organisation’s Director-General, QU Dongyu.

The commitment was made during a meeting with Minister of Fisheries and Marine Resources Ahmed Shiyam, held on the sidelines of the 3rd United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC) meeting.

Minister Shiyam expressed gratitude for FAO’s continued support, particularly highlighting the anchored Fish Aggregating Devices (FADs) project launched in collaboration with the agency.

The two officials also discussed expanding cooperation in several key areas. These include developing comprehensive marine legislation, increasing investment in mariculture, and strengthening technical capacity in the sector.

The Director-General reaffirmed FAO’s dedication to enhancing fisheries in the Maldives and confirmed that a dedicated FAO office will be established in the country to support these efforts.