The Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Diaspora of Seychelles, Mr. Barry Faure, met with the Maldivian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Iruthisham Adam, in Malé on Thursday 14 May to hold high-level bilateral talks. The meeting marks a significant milestone in the diplomatic history between the two Indian Ocean nations.
A Historic Visit
Minister Iruthisham Adam welcomed Minister Faure, noting the historical importance of his arrival:
- First Official Guest: Minister Faure is the first foreign minister welcomed by Minister Iruthisham Adam since her appointment exactly one month ago.
- Seychellois Milestone: This marks the first official visit to the Maldives by a Foreign Minister from Seychelles.
- New Administration: The meeting represents the first high-level bilateral engagement since the formation of the new administration in Seychelles.
Strengthening Cooperation
The discussions, held at the Fathulla Jameel Building, coincided with the eve of the entry into force of the Agreement on Mutual Exemption of Visa Requirements between the two countries. Both diplomats highlighted their shared identities as Small Island Developing States (SIDS) and discussed several key areas for future collaboration:
- Bilateral Focus: Avenues for cooperation include tourism, trade, investment, climate change, and people-to-people exchanges.
- Legal Implementation: The Ministers agreed to prioritize the implementation of existing legal instruments signed between the two nations.
- Multilateral Coordination: Both parties committed to closer coordination within international bodies, including the United Nations, the Commonwealth, AOSIS, and the OACPS.
Official Delegations
The meeting included senior officials from both ministries. The Maldivian delegation featured Foreign Secretary Fathimath Inaya, Secretary Dr. Hala Hameed, Additional Secretary Khadeeja Najeeha, Secretary Ahmed Shiaan and Assistant Director Mohamed Shujau. Minister Faure was accompanied by Principal Counselor Ralph Agrippine.
Both Ministers expressed full confidence that this visit would deepen the longstanding friendship and serve the mutual interests of the people of Maldives and Seychelles.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Diaspora, Republic of Seychelles.