Minister of Foreign Affairs Abdulla Shahid has concluded an official visit to the United Kingdom.

The minister’s trip revolved around the purpose of engaging with the new leadership of the UK so that he could reaffirm the commitment of the Maldives to foster the existing close relationship.

Discussions were also held regarding exploring additional areas for cooperation.

During his visit, FM Shahid also addressed the youth at the Oxford Union Society on the future of multilateralism.

In a Twitter post following the conclusion of his visit, FM Shahid expressed pleasure in having engaged in talks and reviewed the existing bilateral portfolio between the two countries.

He went on to express confidence that the visit has solidified the existing ties between Maldives and UK.

FM Shahid called on the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs of the UK James Cleverly as part of the visit, where the ministers reviewed the existing bilateral portfolio between the two countries and explored avenues to further enhance cooperation.

Discussions especially focused on obtaining duty free access for fish and fish products from the Maldives to the UK.

He also called on senior officials of the UK government including the Minister of State for the Middle East, South Asia and the United Nations at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and the Prime Minister’s Special Representative for Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Lord Tariq Ahmad of Wimbledon, Minister for Asia, Energy, Climate and Environment Lord Goldsmith and Minister for Development at the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office Andrew Mitchell, MP, Deputy Chairman of the Commonwealth Enterprise and Investment Council (CWEIC), Sir Hugo Swire, co-chairs of the Maldives All Party Parliamentary Group (APPS) Lord Bilimoria and Yasmin Qureshi MP, as well as many other members of the British parliament.

Addressing the youth at the Oxford Union Society, FM Shahid highlighted that it is important to remember that no country, no matter how powerful, can survive unilaterally at a time where effectiveness of the multilateral system is called into question.

As such, he stressed that multilateralism cannot be relinquished as it is the only system that gives all an equal voice and lets problems and solutions be contextualized. He also said that it is inclusive of all communities and the only system under which an increasingly fragile and precious global peace can be preserved.

With this, he urged to work hard to build a United Nations 2.0 as envisioned in the Secretary General’s Our Common Agenda – a United Nations that is more inclusive and responsive to the needs of communities, one whose General Assembly commands more moral authority and one whose Security Council is more inclusive where veto privileges are not abused.

Since the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries on 26 July 1965, Maldives and UK have had a long history of close relations.

Maldives sees UK as an invaluable development partner with both countries having cooperated on several areas including counter terrorism and violent extremism, tourism, trade, higher education and climate change and environment.