Maldives President calls on Secretary-General

The President of Maldives, Mohamed Nasheed, called on Commonwealth Secretary-General Kamalesh Sharma in London on 7 April 2009 at the Commonwealth Secretariat.

This was Mr Nasheed’s first visit to Marlborough House as the leader of Maldives since he took office in November 2008, following the country’s first multiparty elections. The Secretary-General congratulated President Nasheed on a successful and peaceful political transition which he said was a model for other Commonwealth members.

Mr Nasheed thanked Mr Sharma for the Commonwealth’s support over the years towards Maldives’ progress to democracy, and expressed the hope that the Commonwealth would remain closely engaged with Maldives in meeting the challenges that lay ahead.

The President and the Secretary-General discussed the need to further consolidate democratic institutions in Maldives, including the judiciary. They also spoke of the particular threats posed by climate change to small and vulnerable states, and the need for urgent practical measures to deal with them.

Mr Sharma offered the Commonwealth’s continued assistance to Maldives in line with its own national development priorities. Mr Nasheed agreed to consider ways in which Maldives could mark the ongoing 60th anniversary of the modern Commonwealth.

Secretariat Links:

• Country Profile: Maldives
• Secretary-General