Turkey to support the establishment of an Islamic Centre in Hulhumalé.
This was announced by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Maldives, Abdulla Shahid during a press conference host jointly with Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Türkiye who recently concluded an official visit to the Maldives.
As part of the visit which began on January 28, the foreign ministers of Maldives and Turkey engaged in official talks on Saturday, which was followed by a joint press conference.
During the presser, the Maldivian foreign minister revealed that he had requested the government of Turkey’s support to establish an Islamic Centre in the capital Malé City’s suburban extension.
I am also pleased to note that the request has been received positively by the Government of Türkiye that we will receive the support of Türkiye for this project. This Islamic Centre will be a beacon of hope, of Islamic unity, and a symbol of the perpetual relations between the Maldives and Türkiye. Given the expertise of Türkiye in this field, I have no doubt that this important project will greatly benefit from your assistance”Abdulla Shahid, Minister of Foreign Affairs.
During the presser he also revealed that discussions were held on the current development priorities of the Maldives which include the ongoing ‘National Apprenticeship Programme’.
FM Shahid is to have requested the support of Turkey for the landmark programme, designed to facilitate practical learning opportunities for the Maldivian youth.
The Maldivian foreign minister revealed that the successful implementation of this programme will result in increased participation of young women in skilled areas and reduce youth unemployment in the Maldives.
Since the establishment of diplomatic relations, this is the first time a Turkish foreign minister has undertaken an official visit to the island nation, which reflects the success of the new foreign policy initiative of President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, FM Shahid said.
FM Shahid went on to revealed that Maldives and Turkey have continued to closely cooperate and share views on issues of mutual interest; both bilaterally and in the multilateral fora for the past four decades.
He stated that his Turkish counterpart’s visit and the discussions that ensued, mark the beginning of a new chapter in the “illustrious” history for both countries, together.
Maldives and Turkey established diplomatic relations on 28 May 1979, since then, both countries have maintained closed diplomatic relations in multiple sectors.
