A Stakeholder Engagement Plan (SEP) has been developed and outlines the Project approach for communication, information and engagement with potentially interested and/or affected stakeholders of the Project.

The purpose of the SEP is firstly to comply with all national legal requirements related to stakeholder engagement for the Project and secondly to manage disclosure of information and stakeholder engagement using international standards such as the IFC Performance Standards as a best practice.

Stakeholders of the Project have been identified via a systematic process known as stakeholder identification and analysis and they include , residents of Vilingili, tourist resorts, dive tour operators, NGOs, fisherfolk, ship operators, environmental institutes, economically interested parties, ,  and Government entities including policy makers, regulators and local councils.

The main methods and materials to be used for the communication, information and engagement activities for the Project are described below.

• Project website
• Social media (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter)
• Assessment and monitoring reports to disclose Project information
• Leaflets, posters and notices
• Project FAQ on website
• Emails
• Meetings

Stakeholder engagement activities undertaken since the completion of the EIA and ESIA include the following:

• Consultations with key stakeholders for the formulation of the Biodiversity Offset Management Plan (BOMP). Stakeholders including Ministry of Environment, Climate change and Technology, Ministry of Fisheries, Marine Resources and Agriculture and Maldives Marine Research Institute were consulted to present the draft BOMP and discuss the proposed measures in it.
• Engagement with key stakeholders such as dive tour operators, fishers, NGOs, nearby resorts, ship operators, government entities to provide update about the Project including the details of the tasks completed and the information on Stage 2 activities. These engagements were also to provide information about the Grievance Redressal Mechanism (GRM) process and the proposed environmental and social mitigation and management measures for the Project.
• Meetings with fishers to provide information about the planned Project activities, the GRM and to understand more about local fishing activities.

Updating the Project website with up-to-date information about the Project activities, environmental and social mitigation measures and tthe process for lodging feedback or grievances (the GRM)

The following engagement activities are planned to take place:

• Notifications on Stage 2 construction dates including dredging calendar/timelines/safeguards, dredging location/vessel routes.
• Information disclosure on emergency response arrangements to local communities
• Engaging with relevant stakeholders such as Ministry of Transport, Maldives Ports Limited, Maldives Police Service and Ministry of Defence, MTCC to coordinate on all activities related to dredging in the major local travel routes out of Male’.
• Informing key stakeholders of monitoring results and if mitigation measures in the Environmental and Social Management Plan are adapted
• Publish community safety information notices regarding Stage 2 activities.
• Engagement with key stakeholders such as dive tour operators, fishers and NGOs to provide information and collect feedback about the planned Biodiversity Offset measures