The new UNODC Regional Representative for South Asia Marco Teixeria has presented his Letter of Appointment to Minister of Foreign Affairs Abdulla Shahid.

The ceremony to present the Letter of Appointment was held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Thursday.

The new UNODC Regional Representative for South Asia and Minister Shahid sat down for discussions following the presentation.

At the meeting, FM Shahid and the Regional Representative engaged in discussions regarding the role of the UNODC in South Asia, especially in the Maldives.

Discussions also revolved around areas that UNODC is assisting the Maldivian government in including combating transnational organized crime, countering terrorism and violent extremism as well as shared hopes for strengthened cooperation in the future.

FM Shahid was also briefed on the formulation of UNODC’s new Regional Programme for South Asia (2023-2027).

The regional programme will be aligned with the work being carried out under the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF 2022-2026) and support the realization of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and other internationally agreed development frameworks.

UNODC has been exemplary in its work to support the Maldivian government in its ongoing activities on juvenile justice reform, combating the smuggling of migrants, drug trafficking, and maritime security.

These are some of the key priority areas of the government of Maldives.