Foreign Minister Abdulla Shahid met with Vice Prime Minister for Romania’s Strategic Partnership’s Implementation Ana Birchall on Friday.

At the meeting held at the Victoria Palace, Office of the Vice Prime Minister, Minister Shahid and the Vice Prime Minister discussed the existing bilateral relations, and ways to further strengthen cooperation between the two countries.

Minister Shahid congratulated Romania for its role as the President of the Council of the European Union and the two discussed cooperation initiatives to enhance collaboration between Maldives and Romania in areas such as healthcare service, disaster risk management, trade investments, education, information technology and countering terrorism and violent extremism.

Minister Shahid also expressed the Maldives government’s wish to further promote fish products in the European markets.

Minister Shahid also met Secretary of State and Head of Emergency Situations of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Romania, Raed Arafat.

The two countries will celebrate the 40th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations in November.

Minister Shahid was accompanied at the meetings by State Minister Ahmed Khaleel and Assistant Director Fathimath Razana.