Discussions held on enhancing educational opportunities for Maldivian students in UK

A wide range of sectors have been discussed between Maldives President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih and the British High Commissioner to the Maldives Caron Röhsler.

Röhsler paid a courtesy call on the president on Sunday afternoon, where the pair discussed topics ranging from tourism, bilateral trade, defense cooperation and climate action to enhancing educational opportunities for Maldivian students wishing to study in the United Kingdom.

Touching down on ways to progress the friendly bilateral ties between Maldives and UK, Solih extended congratulations to the High Commissioner for completing a successful year, heading the UK’s resident diplomatic mission to the Maldives.

The president expressed gratitude to the government of UK for removing Maldives from its travel advisory and easing restrictions for Maldivians wishing to travel to UK.

The British High Commission in Maldives unveiled the decision allowing travelers from Maldives to UK to travel without the need to self-isolate on arrival, on October 22, effective October 25.

Following the announcement, Röhsler highlighted that the tourism industry in both countries confirm that there is “pent-up” demand among British tourists and expressed hope for the Maldives tourism to flourish once again, with the UK’s flag carrier, British Airways having resumed operation of flights to Maldives and scheduling three weekly flights to be operated on Sundays, Wednesdays and Fridays as well as many other commercial routes in the island nation. Röhsler shed light on the importance of learning to live with the global pandemic “until we can vaccinate against it” and “hopefully eliminate it”.

The pair also discussed the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, with Röhsler having congratulated the government’s effective measures in containing the spread of the virus within the island nation, in light of which Solih expressed hope that the new lockdown announced for England will prove effective in reducing the number of cases in the UK.

Further, the president expressed hope that the situation will continue to improve, so that Maldives can soon welcome more British tourists, making use of the recently announced air-bridge between the Maldives and UK.

Röhsler and Solih had expressed their mutual interest in further strengthening Maldives-UK relations, during the call.

Röhsler became the UK’s first resident Ambassador to the Maldives and presented her credentials on October 30 last year.

After Maldives successfully rejoined the Commonwealth of Nations in early February 2020, the government fulfilled one of its key foreign policy pledges, the British Diplomatic Mission to the Maldives formally became a High Commission, and Röhsler assumed her current position as High Commissioner to Maldives. During the meeting Solih went on to thank Röhsler for her role in expediting the Maldives’ efforts to rejoin the Commonwealth through a ‘Fast Track’ approach.

Maldives and UK had even scaled up cooperation on addressing the climate emergency, among other important bilateral issues during Röhsler’s tenure.

Solih also thanked the UK government for inviting the Maldives to participate in the 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26), to be hosted by UK and is expected to provide an important platform to mobilize effective climate action.