"Maldives will remain in the forefront to ensure a secure, progressive Indian Ocean"

Maldives will remain in the forefront to ensure the work to establish a secure, peaceful and progressive Indian Ocean will be maintained for the upcoming generations, says Foreign Minister Abdulla Shahid.

The Foreign Minister made these remarks while speaking to press before his departure to Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates on Wednesday evening to take part in the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA)’s 19th Council of Ministers Meeting.

While this is the first time Maldives is set to take part in the IORA Council of Ministers Meeting since becoming a member in November 2018, FM Shahid is scheduled to address the council, to be held on 7 November.

At the brief press conference, FM Shahid expressed that until today, there were a handful of reasons holding the country back from joining such organizations and their events. However, the tables have turned since the new government of President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih took over in November 2018, opening several doors for such opportunities to come pouring in with Solih’s stable foreign policy.

While a declaration is set to be signed after which Maldives membership at IORA will be formalized, this, Shahid said, is a remarkable example of said opportunities.

The declaration is deemed an entrance to regional partnership strengthening and grants the Maldives accessibility to participate in the efforts of the organization.

IORA initially came to the decision to grant Maldives membership, at the beginning of this year at an IORA meeting in South Africa where a majority of the member states voted in favor.

Further, FM Shahid added that the trip’s biggest aim would be to put in more efforts to maintain the peace, security, stability and prosperity of the Indian Ocean region and work to fast-track development in the region.

Any possible effects surfacing for the Indian Ocean region will the biggest impact on the Maldives as majority of the small-island state is mighty oceans.

Taking to Twitter following his departure, the Foreign Minister wrote that Maldives played a “key role” in conceptualizing IORA at its inception in the 1990s and that it is a privilege for him to be leading the Maldives delegation to the meeting.

Late President of South Africa, Nelson Mandela initially instilled the vision of IORA during a visit to India in 1995 and the organization has been holding annual meetings since establishment in 1997. Complete with 22 coastal states surrounded by the vast Indian Ocean, IORA provides a platform for Foreign Ministers from member states to gather to discuss policies and reach agreements on future strategic directions.