Foreign Minister Abdulla Khaleel met Malta’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Tourism Ian Borg on Monday, with both sides agreeing to strengthen bilateral ties across a range of sectors, including climate action, trade, and tourism.
The meeting, held at the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister in Valletta, was described by both governments as “a pivotal step towards building a reinvigorated Maldives-Malta bilateral relations.”
The ministers reaffirmed their shared commitment to environmental stewardship, with a focus on the transition to renewable energy, according to a statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. They also agreed to explore new trade prospects and avenues to increase foreign investment, with the discussions placing particular emphasis on fostering “a stronger and more inclusive economic relationship,” the statement noted.
Khaleel, posting on social media platform X, said: “We touched on the many parallels between the #Maldives and #Malta, both being small island nations that are members of the Commonwealth. We discussed exploring new opportunities for bilateral collaboration in areas of mutual interest and cooperation in the multilateral arena.”
Both sides also welcomed stronger people-to-people ties, particularly through increased collaboration in tourism, fisheries, and higher education.
During the ongoing visit, Khaleel also met with Professor Stephen Calleya, Director of the Mediterranean Academy of Diplomatic Studies, on Tuesday to discuss collaboration in diplomatic education.
“We explored avenues for diplomatic education and cooperation between FOSIM and MEDAC. Looking forward to deeper engagement between our two institutions in shaping the next generation of diplomats,” he posted.