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The Government of Maldives welcomes the decision of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisations (SCO) to grant the status of dialogue partner to Maldives at the upcoming summit of Head of States in Samarkand, Uzbekistan in September 2022. The decision was reached at the Council of Foreign Ministers Meeting held in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, from 27-28 July 2022.

Maldives believes becoming a dialogue partner would place the Maldives at the heart of the region’s economic activities and would serve Maldives and the Member States to work even more closely on achieving shared priorities. It would also pave the way for Maldives to actively engage in addressing challenges to maritime security and to enhance cooperation with SCO member states on issues central to our foreign policy.

The SCO, established on 15 June 2001, comprises eight member states, namely the Republic of India, the Republic of Kazakhstan, the People’s Republic of China, the Kyrgyz Republic, the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, the Russian Federation, the Republic of Tajikistan, and the Republic of Uzbekistan.

Maldives and China today signed the Certificate of Assistance for the Maldives Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The assistance was initially announced in January 2022 during the official visit to the Maldives by His Excellency Wang Yi, State Councilor and Minister of Foreign Affairs of China, to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

The assistance, which totals the sum of USD 310’000, will be used to complete certain aspects of the Foreign Ministry Building renovation programme, and will also be used for training and capacity building purposes. With the assistance of the Chinese Government, the Foreign Ministry Building was completed in 2006. Under the initiative to renovate the Foreign Ministry Building which commenced in 2019, China has continued to extend its support. The Foreign Ministry Building was formally inaugurated by President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih last year.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Maldives, extend its sincere appreciation and gratitude to the Government of China, for their continued support and cooperation in further strengthening the Maldives-China bilateral relations. His Excellency Ahmed Khaleel, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs signed the Certificate on behalf of the Maldives, while Her Excellency Ms. Wang Lixin, signed on behalf of the People’s Republic of China.

Minister of Foreign Affairs of Maldives, Abdulla Shahid sent Chinese New Year Greetings to His Excellency Wang Yi, State Councilor and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China, on the occassion of the Chinese New Year, the Year of the Tiger.

Minister’s message reads as follows:

“On this auspicious occasion of the Chinese Spring Festival and the New Year of the Tiger, I would like to extend warm felicitations and sincere good wishes to Your Excellency, the Government, and the friendly people of China.   I also see this as an exceptional occasion to express my sincere appreciation and gratitude for the close cooperation and continued support extended by the Government of the People’s Republic of China to the Maldives at all times, especially during the most challenging times of COVID-19. I am confident that the close ties of friendship and partnership between our two countries will thrive and further strengthen during this auspicious Year of the Tiger, which symbolizes strength, power and prosperity.   Excellency, I look forward to attending the Opening Ceremony of the 2022 Winter Olympics to be held in Beijing. I wish Your Excellency, the Government, and the friendly people of China all the best for a successful Winter Olympics.   Let me also convey my personal best wishes for Your Excellency’s good health, success, continued peace, progress and prosperity for the people of China.

Please accept, Excellency, the assurances of my highest consideration.”