Japan to provide $20 million for broadcasting service development

Communications Authority of Maldives (CAM) has announced that the government of Japan has agreed to provide free aid worth $20 million for the development of broadcasting service in the Maldives.

CEO of CAM Ilyas Ahmed said at a ceremony held today to sign the Minutes of Discussion of a project to establish Integrated Services Digital Broadcasting-Terrestrial (ISDB-T) in the Maldives, that studies related to this donation from Japan are ongoing.

The Minutes of Discussion was signed on behalf of Maldives by Minister of Home Affairs Umar Naseer, and on behalf of Japan by Team Leader of Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) Jotaro Tateyama.

Speaking at the ceremony, Umar Naseer said that the project was confirmed during President Abdulla Yameen’s visit to Japan in 2014, and that it would improve broadcasting services in the Maldives.

Managing Director of Public Service Media (PSM) Ibrahim Khaleel, speaking at today’s ceremony, said that the major part of the survey related to the project, done by PSM and JICA, has been completed.

He said that islands have been identified for the installation of the towers and transmitters, and the technical plan for the project has also been almost completed.

TV broadcasting services were launched in the Maldives in 1979 with Japanese assistance.