The Commonwealth Secretariat Staff Team on an assessment mission to evaluate the Maldives' membership application to the organisation has arrived in Maldives. The Commonwealth Team is headed by Advisor and Head of Asia/Europe/Caribbean/Pacific in the Commonwealth Secretariat Albert Mariner.
During the meeting held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Secretary Abdul Ghafoor Mohamed welcomed the team to Maldives and expressed the desire of the administration to re-join the Commonwealth as a member state. The foreign secretary mentioned Maldives has benefitted immensely in the past from being a member of the 53-member state organisation and had been able to contribute to important global discussions on human rights, sustainable development, climate change, and democratic consolidation as a member of the Commonwealth.
The objective of re-joining the Commonwealth has been high on the agenda of the administration of President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih and an expression of interest was sent to the Commonwealth Secretary-General in December 2018. Since then, Minister of Foreign Affairs Abdulla Shahid had met with the Commonwealth Secretary-General in London on January 27.
During the visit, the Commonwealth Secretariat Staff Team is due to call on President Solih, Speaker of Parliament Qasim Ibrahim and Chief Justice of the Supreme Court Dr. Ahmed Abdulla Didi. They will also meet with cabinet ministers and senior officials of the administration, independent institutions, major political parties and key media partners in Maldives.
The purpose of the assessment mission is to conduct an evaluation of the criteria and the eligibility for membership of Maldives, to evaluate its aspirations and commitment to the principles of the Commonwealth Charter, and to meet with key officials in the administration.
The Maldives first joined the Commonwealth in 1982. It left the organization in October 2016 after 34 years as a member state.
Following the inauguration of President Solih, Maldives submitted an expression of interest to re-join the Commonwealth, which was welcomed by its Secretary-General. The administration is now in the process of fulfilling all the membership requirements to re-join the organisation.
Joining Commonwealth is a top priority of the foreign policy implemented by the administration.