As part of ongoing efforts to strengthen bilateral relations between the State of Kuwait and the Republic of Maldives, and on the sidelines of signing a loan agreement to fund small island hospitals in the Maldives, Mr. Waleed Shamlan Al-Bahar, Acting Director General of the Kuwait Fund for Development, conducted a field visit to projects in the Maldives funded by the Kuwait Fund.

The visit included an inspection tour of Velana International Airport, the main airport in the Maldives (formerly known as Ibrahim Nasir International Airport). The project aims to support the economic and social development of the Republic, with the Fund having contributed to the expansion and development of the airport's facilities to accommodate the expected increase in passenger and cargo air traffic. The contribution was made in partnership with the Saudi Fund for Development, Abu Dhabi Fund for Development, and OPEC Fund for International Development, alongside the contribution of the Government of the Republic of Maldives.

It is noteworthy that the Kuwait Fund provided its first loan to the Republic of Maldives in 1976. Since then, the Fund has contributed to more than 14 development projects in the Maldives, including projects for the development of ports, rehabilitation of infrastructure damaged by the tsunami disaster, and other initiatives to improve drinking water and sanitation facilities.