Pakistan has pledged to provide 100,000 olive cuttings and 100,000 seeds of various plant species to support the Maldives’ target of planting five million trees within President Dr Mohamed Muizzu’s five-year term.
The commitment was announced by Pakistani Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif during a joint press statement with President Muizzu in Islamabad on Wednesday.
Sharif said the contribution would be provided in due course, subject to mutual understanding between the two countries.
The announcement came as the Maldives and Pakistan exchanged 20 memorandums of understanding covering areas including agriculture, environmental cooperation, healthcare, education, technology and defence during Muizzu’s state visit to Pakistan.
The Maldives’ five-million-tree programme is part of the government’s efforts to expand tree planting across the country. On October 15, the first nursery established under the programme was opened in S. Meedhoo, with 20 nurseries planned across the country under the initiative.
The programme aims to increase tree cover and support environmental protection across the islands, where climate change poses significant challenges to the country’s long-term environmental security.
The Pakistani contribution is expected to support the programme through the provision of planting materials, although further details on the delivery schedule, distribution of the cuttings and seeds, and the locations where they will be planted have not yet been announced.
