Minister Shahid meets Indian permanent representative to UN

Maldivian Foreign Minister Abdulla Shahid has met with Indian permanent representative to the United Nations Syed Akbaruddin.

Akbaruddin, who has been in the position since 2016, is based in the City of New York and met with Shahid on Thursday.

Akbaruddin also expressed his keenness to work with the Maldives.

The Maldives has made strides in renewing the relations between India and the Maldives and in December signed four agreements for multi-sector cooperation.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi also announced that India will be extending a USD 1.4 billion line of credit to the Maldives.

President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih says that this credit facility will be used to fund development projects, namely to ensure clean water and sanitation systems in islands across the country.

While some of this are treasury-bonds and supplementary funds that will only be acted on if necessary, President Solih assures that the credit will not exasperate Maldives’ foreign debt.

Shahid, during this visit, has met with the US National Security Council, the US Treasury, and the representatives of the State Department.

The minister also addresses the Center for Strategic and International Studies and expressed his belief that stronger relations between the Maldives and the US would facilitate maritime security in the Indian Ocean.