Foreign Minister Moosa Zameer met with United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Washington, D.C., during his ongoing visit to the United States. Minister Zameer’s visit is aimed at further enhancing the longstanding bilateral relations between the Maldives and the United States.
The discussions between Minister Zameer and Secretary Blinken focused on advancing relations between the Maldives and the US, particularly emphasising areas such as defence and security cooperation, the promotion of democracy, commitment to economic growth, and strategies to address climate change, according to a statement released by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Both the Maldives and the United States reiterated their commitment to exploring new avenues to strengthen partnership, recognising the significance of upholding a rules-based international order. They also expressed mutual commitment to regional stability, maritime security, and the promotion of peace, according to the statement.
“For us, the Maldives is an important partner, and we want to make sure that we’re a good partner to the Maldives. We stand together in working to make sure that we have a free and open Indo-Pacific region,” Blinken told Zameer during the meeting.
Minister Zameer said, “I reaffirmed our commitment to further strengthen the partnership between the Maldives and [the] U.S. in tackling climate change, promoting democracy, and cooperation in maritime security.”
The minister underscored the value of educational opportunities provided by the United States and advocated for streamlined visa facilitation services for Maldivians to enhance people-to-people contact, fostering cultural exchange, tourism, and business connections between the two nations.
According to the Foreign Ministry, Secretary Blinken commended the Maldives on the successful Presidential and Parliamentary elections and acknowledged the nation’s leadership in global forums towards combatting climate change and promoting environmental sustainability.
Earlier, Minister Zameer met with the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Administrator Samantha Power. He expressed gratitude for USAID’s continued support and affirmed his commitment towards further enhancing existing cooperation, the Foreign Ministry said.
“I conveyed appreciation for the contributions through USAID towards the Maldives’ development journey and reaffirmed commitment to enhance and diversify the partnership,” Minister Zameer remarked regarding his meeting with Administrator Power.
Following his engagements in the US capital, Minister Zameer will travel to New York for meetings with senior United Nations officials, including Secretary-General António Guterres and Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs Li Junhua, according to the Foreign Ministry.
The visit also includes meetings with tour operators and travel advisors based in New York. Additionally, Minister Zameer will meet with the Maldivians residing in New York and New Jersey, the statement said.