UN official deems Maldives as 'calm and peaceful', says President's Office

United Nations Assistant Secretary General for Political Affairs, Miroslav Jenča called on President Abdulla Yameen on Thursday afternoon.

Jenča arrived in the Maldives on an official visit on Thursday morning.

While the senior UN official has been in the Maldives for less that 12 hours, the President's Office in a press released that he 'has [during his visit] deemed the country calm and peaceful'.

He 'praised the Government on the remarkable economic development achieved under the leadership of President Yameen', claimed the Office.

He further expressed UN's readiness 'to work together with the Elections Commission of the Maldives in ensuring a free and fair election'.

The Assistant Secretary-General also met with of Elections Commission officials on Thursday.

During the meeting, President Abdulla Yameen said that his government is committed to maintaining the close relations with the United Nations, and assured that his government 'is actively taking all the necessary measures to ensure a free and fair election'.

Foreign Minister Dr. Mohamed Asim, Fisheries Minister Dr. Mohamed Shainee, Minister for Legal Affairs at the President’s Office Aishath Azima Shakoor and the Minister of State for Foreign Relations at the President’s Office Mohamed Naseer accompanied the President at the meeting.

In a tweet posted following Assistant Secretary General's arrival to the Maldives, UN via its official twitter account in Maldives, said that the assistant secretary-general is to meet with President Abdulla Yameen and officials from the government, as well as political party representatives 'to support confidence-building and a conducive environment ahead of the 23 September presidential elections'.