Following the unanimous consent of the cabinet ministers, and as approved by the Parliament, President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has sent a letter of intent to the Secretary-General of the Commonwealth Patricia Scotland stating the commitment of Maldives to re-join the Commonwealth of Nations.
In the letter, President Solih reiterated the determination of the administration to uphold and practice the principles enumerated in the Charter of the Commonwealth and the Harare Declaration, emphasising the interest of Maldives in re-joining the Commonwealth. The president noted the interest of Maldives re-joining the Commonwealth stems from a deep conviction as the values and principles enshrined in the charter are more vital than ever, for the maintenance of amicable relations between nations. President Solih further highlighted the belief of the administration in the values of democracy, good governance, human rights, gender equality and sustainable development in the Maldives, within the context of the needs of a small island developing state.
Additionally, the president underscored the need for human resource development for the Maldives, to suffice the magnitude of the tasks ahead. In this regard, President Solih highlighted the Maldives has greatly benefited from the Commonwealth in the past, as a result of the scholarship and sports opportunities provided to aspiring Maldivians, who, subsequent to their experiences abroad, return back to the country with newfound perspectives and technical expertise, and made important contributions to the betterment of the country. The Maldives fist became a member of the Commonwealth on July 9, 1982, and left the Commonwealth on October 13 2016.
The Commonwealth is an intergovernmental organisation of 53 member states that are mostly former territories of the British Empire. The chief institutions of the organisation are the Commonwealth Secretariat, which focuses on intergovernmental aspects, and the Commonwealth Foundation, which focuses on non-governmental relations between member states.