Minister of Foreign Affairs Dr. Mohamed Asim has said that Maldives is to contest for a seat at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC).
The Foreign Minister made the remarks while speaking at the annual meeting of Heads of Missions of Maldives, which began in Hotel Jen on Wednesday morning. The two-day meeting aims to broaden the responsibilities and roles of the Maldivian diplomats and diplomatic missions.
Speaking at the opening of the meeting, Foreign Minister Dr. Asim said that Maldives has decided to contend for a non-permanent membership of the UNSC, as part of the effort to empower the country internationally. He highlighted that the Maldives is regarded as a leader in various fronts, which proves how effective the government foreign policy is.
Speaking at the event, Minister of Tourism Moosa Zameer said that sustainable tourism development is important in order to achieve the economic targets set by the country. The Tourism Minister said that the Maldivian ambassadors can assist in the efforts to promote the country's tourism sector. He added that the participation of Maldivian ambassadors in promoting the country as a tourist destination can help to significantly reduce the cost of tourism promotion.
The meeting aims to broaden the responsibilities and roles of diplomatic missions to further promote Maldives as a destination and informing potential stakeholders of the investment opportunities available in the Maldives, according to the Foreign Ministry.
This is the first annual gathering of the Heads of Missions held in 10 years. The last meeting took place in 2007. This year’s theme is “Promoting Destination Maldives” which revolves around promoting Maldives as a tourism destination, but also as a destination for foreign Investments and economic projects to enhance growth in the Maldives. In this regard, discussions will be carried out within the Heads of Missions on best practices, viability and challenges faced in advancing the mandate of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The main objectives during the sessions will be focused on devising ways to overcome the challenges faced, and methodologies to strengthen the administration and coordination between Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Missions abroad, to perfect the diplomatic practices to attract foreign investors and tourists.