Focal Point Information

E-mail:

[email protected]

Country:

Maldives

Organization/agency name (Full name):

Ministry of Fisheries and Agriculture

Contact person name:

Aminath Aroosha

Website:

Physical full address:

7th Floor, Velaanaage Building, Male', Maldives

Phone number:

+9607552495

Fax number:

Country introduction

Summary:

The Republic of Maldives is an archipelagic country in the Indian subcontinent of Asia situated in the Indian Ocean. It lies southwest of Srilanka and India, about 750 kilometres (470 miles:400 nautical miles) from the Asian continent's mainland.

The chain of 26 atolls stretches fron Ihavandhippolhu Atoll in the north to Addu Atoll in the south (across the Equator).Comprising a territopry spanning roughly 90,000 square kilometres (35,000 sq mi) including the sea, land area of all the islands comprises 298 square kilometres (115 sq miles).

The most recent census in 2014 enumerated the population at 407,660 people. A third of the population lives in Male', while the rest live in 200 island scattered across the length of the country.

The livelihood of Maldivians traditionally depended on the seas, fishery being the main source of sustenance. While fishery still contributes significantly to the economy in terms of employment and income, tourism is the main source of income for the Maldivian economy today.

Framework

Regulatory framework:

My country has a regulatory framework that requires the competent authority to conduct safety assessment of GM food.

Structure for GM food safety assessment:

My country has competent authority, agency, organization, ministry, department, committee, commission or a system/mechanism that is tasked to conduct or review GM food safety assessment.

Supplemental information:

Contact details of the competent authority(s) responsible for the safety assessment and the product applicant:

Ministry of Fisheries Marine Resources and Agriculture, H.Velaanaage, 7th floor, Male, Republic of Maldives.

Maldives Food and Drug Authority, H.Roashanee Building, Male, Republic of Maldives.

Ministry of Environment, Handhuvaree Hingun, Maafannu Male 20392, Republic of Maldives

Assessment

GM food safety assessment guidelines:

My country follows national/regional guidelines that are not in line with the Codex Guidelines in conducting safety assessment of GM food.

Conduct of GM food safety assessment:

My country has never conducted food safety assessment of GM food but is planning to conduct such assessment in the near future.

Supplemental information on the implementation:

Stacked events

Regulation of stacked events:

There is no regulations in my country on stacked events.

Supplemental information on the stacked events:

Production and trade

GM food/feed production:

My country does not produce any GM food or feed.

GM food/feed imports:

My country may import GM food or feed and there is no authorization process.

Supplemental information on the production and trade:

LLP/AP incidents

LLP/AP incidents:

I do not know if my country has faced any LLP/AP issues in the last 10 years.

Supplemental information on the LLP/AP incidents:

Labelling requirement

Labelling requirement:

My country is in the process of developing regulations/policies on GM food labeling.

Supplemental information on the Labelling requirement:

Relevant links to documents and information prepared by the competent authority responsible for the safety assessment