Speaker of Parliament Qasim Ibrahim has expressed support to the efforts of the administration of President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih to re-join the Commonwealth. He made the statement in a meeting held with the Commonwealth Secretariat Staff Team in Maldives on an assessment mission.
During the meeting, the parliament speaker welcomed the team to Maldives and noted the benefits Maldives will attain from Commonwealth. Highlighting the opportunities and assistance provided from the 53-member bloc, Speaker Qasim revealed he has full faith the bond would be strengthened in the future.
The team, led by Albert Mariner, Advisor and Head of Asia/Europe/Caribbean/Pacific in the Commonwealth Secretariat, shared details of the trip to Maldives to the speaker. The team further also collected information from the speaker on the upcoming parliamentary elections.
The team is in the Maldives as part of an assessment required by the Commonwealth Secretariat to prepare the Maldives for its membership in the Commonwealth. In December 2018, upon the assumption of office, President Solih had committed Maldives to become a full member of the Commonwealth.
The Maldives first joined the Commonwealth in 1982, and left in October 2016 after 34 years.