Maldives Hands Over Financial Aid To Support Sri Lanka’s Cyclone Recovery

The Maldivian government has delivered a USD 50,000 donation to the Sri Lankan government to support recovery efforts following the devastation caused by Cyclone Ditwah.

The government announced on 29 November that it would provide USD 50,000 in cash assistance and 25,000 cases of canned tuna to Sri Lanka. The financial contribution was formally handed over on 2 December by the Maldivian High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, Mas’ood Imad, and was received by Sri Lanka’s Foreign Minister, Vijatha Herath.

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This afternoon, I was pleased to receive a generous contribution of USD 50,000 from the Government of the Maldives in support of Sri Lanka’s flood-affected communities following the recent adverse weather conditions. We are also grateful to the people of Maldives for their… pic.twitter.com/d0cwAseZv8— Vijitha Herath (@HMVijithaHerath) December 2, 2025

According to the Maldivian Foreign Ministry, the assistance was offered as a gesture of solidarity. The ministry stated that the Maldives hopes the contribution will support Sri Lanka’s efforts to assist those affected, highlighting the longstanding ties between the two neighbouring nations.

Sri Lanka’s Foreign Minister expressed his appreciation in a social media post, stating that the country is grateful for the Maldives’ support, which he said reflects the strong friendship between the two nations.

In addition to the government donation, a fundraising telethon titled ‘Ceylon Aa Eku Dhivehin’, organised by Public Service Media in partnership with nearly 40 local media outlets, raised the equivalent of USD 800,352 for victims of Cyclone Ditwah. The telethon ran from 9:00 am on 30 November until 2:00 pm on 1 December.

The proceeds were officially handed over to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Monday at a ceremony held at the PSM studio. PSM Deputy Managing Director Abdulla Yameen Rasheed presented the funds to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr Abdulla Khaleel, who confirmed that the aid would be forwarded to the Sri Lankan government later on Tuesday. He commended the joint media initiative, noting its contribution to strengthening the close relationship between the Maldives and Sri Lanka.

Crowe Maldives served as the official audit partner throughout the telethon, overseeing financial procedures and the counting of contributions after the fundraising period concluded. Public Service Media expressed its gratitude to all individuals and organisations who contributed to the success of the nationwide effort.