Maldives no longer on CMAG agenda: Commonwealth

The Commonwealth Secretariat has confirmed to Sun Online that Maldives is no longer on the formal agenda of the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG).

The Commonwealth confirmed this in an email sent by its Director, Communications & Public Affairs Division, Richard Uku, in response to a query sent by Sun Online in this regard.

“It was removed from the formal agenda at the Group's meeting in New York on Friday. Maldives will therefore resume its position with a seat at the table as a member of CMAG,” says the email by Uku.

The Canadian Foreign Affairs office had earlier issued a press statement, indicating that Maldives remains on the CMAG agenda.

In response to the Canadian government’s statement, the Maldivian government issued a statement explaining that Maldives had been moved from the agenda of CMAG to ‘Matters of Interest’, which means that no issue about the Maldives will be discussed as a separate agenda item at CMAG meetings.

The President’s Office also said that any discussion at CMAG meetings about the Maldives will be conducted in the same manner as discussions about countries which are not on the formal agenda of CMAG.

Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) had called on the Commonwealth not to remove Maldives from the CMAG agenda, saying that it would result in opposition groups losing ground.

Maldives was included in the CMAG agenda on 22 February, following the controversial change of government on 7 February.