Maldives urges Australian govt to grant visa to sickly Maldivian boy who faces deportation
5 ސެޕްޓެމްބަރު 2019 | ބުރާސްފަތި 08:45A letter was addressed to Australian government officials to grant visa for the three-year-old on humanitarian grounds
Richard Maude and FM Shahid | Twitter
Maldives has reached out to the Australian government to grant visa on humanitarian grounds to Kayban Jamsheed, a three-year-old Maldivian boy who faces deportation from Australia.
Minister of Foreign Affairs Abdulla Shahid met with Deputy Secretary of Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade Richard Maude on Wednesday to discuss his letter to his counterpart in Australia, Marise Payne as well as President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih’s similar letter to MP Scott Morrison requesting to grant visa for Kayban.
The Maldivian family has been living in Australia all of Kayban’s life and is in a legal struggle with authorities to remain in the country, as the three-year-old has severe health problems that the Maldives health system is not equipped to treat.
While Kayban requires round-the-clock care to manage a number of illnesses, his parents maintain that they have been managing medical funds for him without outside help for three years now.
The meeting with Maude also saw discussions on issues of mutual importance like climate change, democracy and human rights as well as cooperation on issues related to the peace and security of the Indian Ocean region.
FM Shahid had conveyed gratitude to the Australian government for their support towards Maldives bid to rejoin the Commonwealth of Nations.
The meeting was joined by Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Ahmed Khaleel, Foreign Secretary Abdul Ghafoor Mohamed, Director Shiuneen Rasheed and Assistant Director at the ministry, Fathmath Razana.
