Maldives has a responsibility to address regional threats: Minister

Maldives has the responsibility to assure that all Indian ocean countries work together to address security threats since it is in the middle of the region, says Foreign Minister Abdulla Shahid.

Speaking on Sri Lanka’s terror attacksin an interview with The Hindu, Minister Shahid said the threats faced by Maldives, India, Sri Lanka and the United States have no boundaries or religion.

In the interview, Minister Shahid also said that Maldives is working with the international community to track and monitor Maldivians who have left to join foreign wars.

Regarding climate change, Minister Shahid said that Maldives has an almost zero carbon footprint but continues to raise the concerns of small island states in the international fora.

He also said that Maldives’ relationship with India is now ‘rock solid’ due to the mutual respect and understanding both countries have cultivated, and that it is to the benefit of Maldives and India that the two countries cooperate on development, security, and every facet of relations.

Shifting to local politics, Minister Shahid said that although the voters have given an overwhelming majority to main ruling Maldivian Democratic Party in the parliamentary election, President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih intends to maintain the people’s mandate in the presidential election, which is to rule as a coalition.