Scotland Maldives partnership information: EIR release

Information requested

“Information relating to the Scotland-Maldives partnership, first announced by former First Minister Alex Salmond in 2009.

Is the partnership still in effect?

If not, when did it end and why?

If so, what work is under way?

What work was concluded as part of the partnership?

How much money was spent linked to the partnership since 2009, annually, to date?”

Response

As the information you have requested is ‘environmental information’ for the purposes of the Environmental Information (Scotland) Regulations 2004 (EIRs), we are required to deal with your request under those Regulations. We are applying the exemption at section 39(2) of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 (FOISA), so that we do not also have to deal with your request under FOISA. This exemption is subject to the ‘public interest test’. Therefore, taking account of all the circumstances of this case, we have considered if the public interest in disclosing the information outweighs the public interest in applying the exemption. We have found that, on balance, the public interest lies in favour of upholding the exemption, because there is no public interest in dealing with the same request under two different regimes. This is essentially a technical point and has no material effect on the outcome of your request.

I enclose a copy of the information you requested

Is the partnership still in effect?

We have had no contact with the government of the Maldives on energy matters since President Nasheed left office in February 2012.

If not, when did it end and why?

The First Minister wrote to President Nasheed in August 2011 enclosing the final version of the marine energy study funded by the Scottish Government.

If so, what work is under way?

Not applicable.

What work was concluded as part of the partnership?

The Scottish Government funded a £47,000 study by Robert Gordon University on the potential of marine energy in the Maldives. The study was delivered in August 2011 to inform the Maldives’ renewable energy strategy.

How much money was spent linked to the partnership since 2009, annually, to date?

£47,000.

Further Information

Road Map for the Energy Sector 2020–2030, published by the Asian Development Bank, November 2020, References: Centre for Understanding Sustainable Practice (CUSP), Robert Gordon University. 2011. Marine Energy in Maldives: Pre-Feasibility Report on Scottish Support for Maldives Marine Energy Implementation. Aberdeen.

About FOI

The Scottish Government is committed to publishing all information released in response to Freedom of Information requests. View all FOI responses at http://www.gov.scot/foi-responses.