President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has engaged in productive discussions with the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani following his arrival in Qatar on Monday.
The official talks took place at the Amiri Diwan, the Amir’s Administrative Office in Qatar, after the president and the high-level Maldivian delegation touched down in Doha early Monday.
The official talks were followed by an official lunch hosted in the president’s honor.
The Emir of Qatar received the president upon his arrival at the Amiri Diwan, following which he was introduced to senior members of the Qatari State.
During the discussions the pair shed light on the commitment to take the Maldives-Qatar relations to new heights from enhancing diplomatic engagements to increasing investments and development cooperation, the president said.
Further, the impacts of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic in their respective countries were also discussed between the pair, with President Solih noting that the pandemic has shed the spotlight on the need to advance the diversification of Maldives’ economy and to focus on building more resilience through decentralization and sustainable development
President Solih went on to applaud the government of Qatar for the measures implemented to curb the spread of Covid-19. With this being said, Qatar has one of the lowest fatality rates across the globe, since the pandemic began sweeping across the world.
Further, discussions also revolved around increasing people-to-people contact and business interactions between Maldives and Qatar, in order to facilitate good bilateral relations and increase mutual investment opportunities.
Solih also announced his intention to appoint a non-resident Maldivian Ambassador to Qatar to further enhance bilateral relations.
The Maldivian president expressed his keen interest to continue working with the government of Qatar on issues of global importance, such as climate change, sustainable development and the promotion and protection of human rights.
Maldives has long recognized Qatar for its generosity and invaluable contributions to its socio-economic development.
President Solih’s trip to Qatar marks the celebration of the re-establishment of diplomatic relations between Maldives and Qatar.
Further, the president is also scheduled to travel to Bangladesh on March 17 for a state visit. During his visit the president will commemorate the 100th birth anniversary of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. Rahman served as the country’s first president.
This will be the president’s second trip abroad since the Maldives reopened borders in July 2020 after nearly four months since borders were closed due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.
Diplomatic relations between Maldives and Qatar were severed during June 2017, when now incarcerated former president Abdulla Yameen was in power. It followed the Saudi Kingdom’s decision to implement a prohibition against Qatar.
Maldives announced the decision to reinstate diplomatic ties with Qatar during January this ongoing year, which was included in the incumbent president’s electoral pledges.
The president is accompanied by the First Lady, Fazna Ahmed, as well as the high-level delegation comprising of Abdulla Shahid, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Aishath Nahula, Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation, Ali Zahir, the President’s Chief of Staff, Ahmed Khaleel, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Sabra Ibrahim Noordeen, Secretary of Foreign Relations and Ibrahim Hood, Chief Communications Strategist at the President’s Office, during his trips to the two countries.
