Names of Maldivian high commissions changed to “embassy”

Names of Maldivian high commissions in seven foreign countries have been officially changed to “embassy”.

“High commission” is a name used by member countries of Commonwealth for its diplomatic missions in other countries; while non-Commonwealth member countries call diplomatic missions in other countries “embassies”.

“Embassy” is also used to name diplomatic missions between a Commonwealth member country and a non-Commonwealth member country.

President’s Office has announced that Maldivian high commissions in United Kingdom, Sri Lanka, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Malaysia, and Singapore have been renamed “embassies”.

Despite the change in name, the work of the diplomatic missions remains the same.

Maldivian government made the decision to leave Commonwealth amid threat of action against the country if it failed to meet the demands of Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG).

Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr. Mohamed Asim had commented Commonwealth was deliberately trying to intimidate Maldives in violation of the United Nations Charter.

He said that difficult though it may had been, the decision had been necessary in order to maintain the independence and sovereignty of Maldives.