State officials to Belgium for high-level talks with EU

A delegation from the Government of Maldives has left for Brussels, Belgium to engage in high-level diplomatic consultations with the European Union. 

The officials taking part in the talks being held from 27 to 28 June are the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr. Mohamed Asim, Minister of Fisheries and Agriculture, Dr. Mohamed Shainee, Minister of Legal Affairs at the President’s Office, Uza. Aishath Azima Shakoor and the Ambassador of Maldives to the European Union, Ahmed Shiaan. 

During the visit, the delegation will hold discussions with the European External Action Services (EEAS), European Parliament and other institutions of the European Union, to further strengthen the existing relations between the European Union and the Maldives, including in areas such as climate change, fisheries, Schengen visa facilitation, electoral and governance reform, countering terrorism and violent extremism and trade, according to the Maldivian Foreign Ministry. 

Since 2015, the Maldives and the European Union have been holding annual high-level consultations in the Maldives within the context of the Maldives-EU Policy Dialogue. The high-level diplomatic consultations to be held in Brussels will provide yet another opportunity for a higher level of engagement between the EU and the Maldives as envisaged in the discussions held during the visit of the European External Action Services (EEAS) delegation to the Maldives in January 2018.