Maldives’ leader launches project to plant 5 million trees

Maldivian President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu and First Lady Sajida Mohamed inaugurated a project on Wednesday, to plant 5 million trees across the environmentally vulnerable island nation.

The project was inaugurated at the Lonuziyaarai Park in Male’ City on Wednesday morning, to coincide with the World Environment Day.

The president also launched the logo for the project, and both he and the first lady planted trees during the event.

According to the President’s Office, the initiative “reflects the government's commitment to safeguarding the country's fragile ecological systems and mitigating the impact of climate change for the benefit of current and future generations.”

The project was one of President Muizzu’s electoral pledges.

Speaking at the COP28 summit in Dubai last year, President Muizzu said the project aims to plant 5 million trees across the Maldives over the next five years.

The project seeks to plant trees that are endangered in the Maldives. As such, the project will see the planting of 90 species of trees.

Wednesday’s event to inaugurate the project was also attended by Vice President Hussain Mohamed Latheef and his spouse, the Parliament Speaker Abdul Raheem Abdulla, and ministers and other senior state officials.