Maldives Minister of Foreign Affairs Abdulla Shahid has held several productive meetings with top officials of the Commonwealth of Nations and the United Kingdom, as part of his ongoing visit to the country.

During his ongoing visit to UK to commemorate Maldives rejoining the Commonwealth organization where the country’s flag was officially hoisted at the Commonwealth, headquartered at Marlborough House, FM Shahid also met with Commonwealth Secretary-General, Patricia Scotland, with whom he unveiled the name board of the High Commission of Maldives to the UK. Further meetings include with the Commonwealth Board of Government.

Meeting with Scotland, FM Shahid discussed ways through which the organization may extend further assistance to the government of Maldives. He went on to express gratitude to SC Scotland for their continuous support in Maldives journey to rejoin the organization. In addition, FM Shahid expressed firm commitment to the Commonwealth Charter and values that are adhered to by Member States.

In a separate meeting with the Director General at the Commonwealth Foundation Anne Gallagher, the Maldives minister discussed future collaborations between Maldives and the Commonwealth Foundation.

Further, FM Shahid also expressed his keenness to collaboration with The Royal Commonwealth Society following a meeting with the Chair of the Board of Trustees Dr. Linda Yueh. In the meeting that took place in London, Dr. Yueh welcomed Maldives back to the organization.

Meeting with Secretary General of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA), Jarvis Matiya, FM Shahid expressed that the country is expecting its membership to be endorsed by CPA’s exco in April 2020, as the Parliament has already passed a resolution to join the CPA Secretariat. The meeting was also joined by Majority Leader of the People’s Majlis MP for central-Henveiru constituency Ali Azim.

The foreign minister wrote in a Twitter post that he is “greatly encouraged” by the passion and commitment towards environmental issues and the love shown for Maldives by the Minister of State for International Environment and Animal Welfare Lord Zac Goldsmith.

Taking to Twitter following the meeting, Goldsmith wrote that in order to protect oceans and tackle climate change, it is important to “learn from nations where the impacts are already being felt”.

The pair also discussed the COP26 summit to commence in the near future.

In addition, FM Shahid discussed a wide range of issues of mutual interest with the Foreign Minister of State Commonwealth, United Nations and South Asia Lord Tariq Ahmad of Wimbledon. As such, the pair discussed Maldives returning to the Commonwealth, reducing tariff levied on Maldives fish products as well as a potential free trade agreement between Maldives and the UK following Brexit.

During the trip, FM Shahid is accompanied by MP Azim, High Commissioner of Maldives to the UK, Dr. Farahanaz Faizal, Secretary of Foreign Relations at The President’s Office, Sabra Ibrahim Noordeen and staff of the High Commission of Maldives in UK.