The Ministry of Climate Change, Environment and Energy has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Maldivian Red Crescent to strengthen community disaster preparedness.
The MoU will support activities under the TRACT project (Toward Risk-Aware and Climate-resilienT communities). It focuses on helping communities understand disaster risks and prepare to respond to warnings.
TRACT aims to improve access to reliable climate information and establish a nationwide, impact-based multi-hazard early warning system. The project is funded by the Green Climate Fund, with the United Nations Environment Programme as the accredited entity and the ministry as the national executing entity.
The partnership builds on the Red Crescent’s existing role in the Early Warnings for All initiative, under which it leads the preparedness and response pillar. Its work connects early warning information with community-level action.
The ministry said the agreement would strengthen the capacity of island-level organisations to respond to climate-related and natural disasters. It is also intended to improve the timely dissemination of information during emergencies.
The signing comes as the Maldives continues to face risks from flooding, heavy rainfall and rising sea levels. Recent flooding in Kolamaafushi affected a large share of homes on the island and displaced families.
The Maldivian Red Crescent has long worked on first aid, psychological first aid and emergency response. The new MoU formalises cooperation on community preparedness and early warning.
The government has also been expanding its disaster management partnerships. Earlier this year the Red Crescent signed a separate agreement with Maldives Airports Company Limited on airport crisis management.
The TRACT partnership is part of broader efforts to make early warning systems more effective and people-centred across the atolls.
