Current government has taken "all efforts" to rejoin Commonwealth "at the earliest"

Foreign Minister Abdulla Shahid met with the Commonwealth delegation currently in the Maldives, to assess the country’s application to rejoin the group.

The minister met with Commonwealth’s second assessment mission -that is visiting the country from 24 to 29 August- on Wednesday, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

At the meeting, Minister Shahid reiterated Maldives’ commitment “to promote and uphold the ideals of the Commonwealth, including in the promotion of democratic norms and good governance in the country, as well as in strengthening accountability, human rights and transparency.”

He added that the current government has undertaken all efforts “to ensure that the Maldives is able to rejoin the Commonwealth at the earliest possible opportunity, including through a fast track process.”

While the previous administration decided to leave the Commonwealth in 2016, rejoining the group is a key pledge of incumbent President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih.

The Commonwealth team, that had meetings with government officials and other senior officials, recollected “the enthusiasm and the commitment during their meetings with the various stakeholders” and reaffirmed that the Maldives was “well on course to satisfy the required due process and to rejoin the organization.”

The Commonwealth assessment mission is led by Katalina Saplou, Senior Director, Governance and Peace Directorate of the Commonwealth Secretariat. She is accompanied by Dr. Anne Gallagher, Director-General, Commonwealth Foundation, Sujeevan Perera, Advisor for Trade Competitiveness, Trade, Oceans and Natural Resources Directorate of the Commonwealth Secretariat, and Jonathan Cheng, Political Officer for Asia/Europe of the Secretariat.

Solih’s administration passed to rejoin the organization, shortly after assuming office in November 2018 and a request for readmission was sent in early December.

The first assessment mission was in the Maldives in January this year, and was headed by Albert Mariner, Advisor and Head of Asia/Europe/Caribbean/Pacific in the Commonwealth Secretariat.

And then in April, a Commonwealth Observer Group was in the archipelago nation to observe the parliamentary elections. This team’s report will also be considered during the assessment of the country’s commitment to Commonwealth’s values.

And in June, Foreign Minister Abdulla Shahid traveled to the United Kingdom to formally present “all documentation required under the membership criteria” directly to Secretary General Patricia Scotland.

According to Commonwealth procedures, a decision regarding Maldives’ readmission will be made at its Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) and the earliest one is scheduled for July 2020 in Kigali, Rwanda.