“Foreign policy revolved around protecting nation’s peace over the past five years”

The foreign policy of Maldives has revolved around protecting and upholding the peace of the nation, over the past five years, says President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih.

President Solih made these remarks while speaking at a ceremony held to confer the most distinguished Foreign Service medal to two long-serving individuals at the President’s Office on Monday morning.

Taking the podium at the ceremony, the president highlighted that foreign policy has mainly focused on protecting and uphold the peace of Maldives as a top priority, over the course of his five-year presidential term.

President Solih highlighted that ties with international organizations were tangled when he assumed office back in November 2018 and that diplomatic relations were severed with several Islamic countries during the past administration, which had isolated the island nation in the international arena.

Shedding light on his administration’s thorough efforts to regain the international community's trust and confidence in the Maldives, the Maldivian leader expressed his gratitude to Minister of Foreign Affairs (ODRI) Abdulla Shahid for his efforts to re-establish relations and restore confidence in the Maldives among the international community.

Further, he shed light on the transformations his administration brought to the foreign ministry and stated that the ministry was removed from the civil service mandate under a special law, in a bid to strengthen the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and support the president and the administration in sustaining the current government's foreign policy most efficiently.

President Solih went on to touch upon the tireless efforts of the officers in foreign service during the global Covid-19 pandemic.

He went on to express hope that the foreign service sector of Maldives will continue to progress and thrive in the global community.