Maldives and Qatar have held the first official bilateral talks since re-establishing diplomatic ties between the two countries in January this year.
The talks were held as part of President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih’s ongoing official visit to Qatar. President Solih, accompanied by First Lady Fazna Ahmed and a high-level delegation, arrived in Doha on March 14.
During his visit, President Solih met the Amir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani for official talks at the Amiri Diwan, the Amir’s Administrative Office. The two leaders discussed ways of strengthening the bilateral bond between the two countries. President Solih noted the Maldives has long recognised Qatar for its generosity and invaluable contributions to the Maldives’ socio-economic development.
During the meeting, the President and the Amir discussed the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic in their respective countries. The President noted that COVID-19 has illustrated to the Maldives the need to expedite the diversification of its economy and to focus on building more resilience through decentralisation and sustainable development. He praised the measures taken by the Qatari government to contain the spread of the pandemic, noting it has one of the lowest mortality rates in the world.
The two leaders also spoke about increasing people-to-people contact and business interactions between the Maldives and Qatar, to facilitate good bilateral relations and increase mutual investment opportunities. To further enhance bilateral relations the President relayed his intention to appoint a non-resident Maldivian Ambassador to Qatar.
In conclusion, President Solih expressed his desire to continue to work together with Qatar on issues of global importance, such as climate change, sustainable development and the promotion and protection of human rights. Following the talks, President Solih and his delegation attended an official lunch hosted in his honour by Amir Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani.