What changed when Maldives left the Commonwealth?

What comes to mind when the word Commonwealth is heard? About the educational chances they provided? Or maybe the commonwealth games? Or how Maldives was included in the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Groups (CMAG) agenda and punished?

Different people will answer this question differently. All three of these things are really close and connected to the Maldivians. The amount of people in the Maldives who are gainfully employed due to a good education received through chances provided by the Commonwealth are not few. Maldivians have participated in the Commonwealth Games, and have achieved some amazing accomplishments. But most Maldivians now know the Commonwealth as the organization that tried to take steps against the Maldives. The biggest foreign setbacks Maldives has faced in recent times was courtesy of the Commonwealth. CMAG had become a fear to the Maldives.

Maldives joined the Commonwealth during the 30 year reign of Maumoon Abdul Gayyoom. After former President Maumoon left office, and democracy was established in the Maldives, the CMAG Agenda has become a common name for the Maldivians. Maldivian Foreign Ministers were called to CMAG meetings, and asked to explain themselves. Maldives began receiving lists of things to correct, and were faced with threats of suspension or punishments. This was suspected to be done with Maldivians working behind the scenes.

Even former President Maumoon, who let the Commonwealth into the Maldives started requesting for an exit from the organisation.

"Circumstances have changed today, we do not receive too many advantages of being in the Commonwealth. Commonwealth is interfering in our internal affairs, they are playing with our policies, they are giving aid to those who are causing disorder in the Maldives," Maumoon said in 2013 during a presidential campaign meeting. Even he had requested the next president of Maldives to exit from the Commonwealth.

Even with the chances in sports and education, the fear of interference in internal affairs is growing. It would not be full freedom, and the Maldivian flag will not wave high in the sky. Serving the country with a good education is also impossible if the country is not free, and not peaceful. These are basics to lead a good life.

No matter what is said, the government has left the Commonwealth citing interference in internal matters. There is no point in discussing it now. The Parliament has also come on board with this decision. The question to be asked now is what are the effects of leaving the Commonwealth to the Maldives? What things have changed?

Will it affect the economy?

This question has been answered by the Economic Minister Mohamed Saeed. The Minister said that leaving the Commonwealth will have no adverse effects on the Maldivian economy. The Minister noted that Maldives has accomplished many things in development and business transactions. The Minister said another sign that there will be no effect on the economy is organizations such as the World Bank praising the growing market in the Maldives.

"Maldivians have done this for a long time, so the trust of the financial markets will always be there, the opinion of banks will not change," Saeed said "Organisations such as IMF, ADB believe that our system is being modernized, so we do not believe that this will have any negative impacts."

Tourism Minister Moosa Zameer also agrees with Minister Saeed. Minister Zameer said that the Maldives left the Commonwealth after presenting a legitimate reason, and that this should not have any negative effect on the Maldivian economy.

He also said that the only way there could be a adverse effect is if a country takes steps against the Maldives for leaving the Commonwealth. But no countries have decided to do this yet. And Zameer also noted that the Commonwealth itself welcomes the Maldives back. The foreign secretary of England, Boris Johnson also said in a statement he released regarding this matter that he is deeply saddened by the Maldives's departure from the Commonwealth, but that it would have no impact on the relation between the Maldives and England.

Will tourism decrease?

"Leaving the Commonwealth has no relation with our arrivals," this is the answer given by Minister Zameer in regards to this question

Minister Zameer said that Maldives is making efforts to promote tourism. If these efforts continue, leaving the commonwealth will have no impact on this. He also said that there has been no change in the arrivals of tourists since leaving the Commonwealth.

"The English market is good, not bad. There has not been too much effect on the arrival data even with so much negative campaigning going on in the U.K. Everyone knows that the steps taken against the Maldives were taken unfairly," Minister Zameer, who has been taking great efforts to promote Maldivian tourism, has said.

Will diplomatic relations deteriorate?

Maldives is a small country, and the Commonwealth helped to connect it with the rest of the world, Foreign Minister Mohamed Asim said. So can leaving the Commonwealth have any negative impacts on foreign relations?

This question is somewhat answered by English Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson's statement. He said that the U.K is still ready to work with the Maldives in the future. He also said that they will help to develop the democracy in the Maldives.

Even Maldives has answered in the same way. Minister Asim said that the friendly connection with England will remain the same. And that no change will come to relations with any other countries as well.

While both countries have said this, some members in the foreign department believe that slight changes may come to some relations. But no one believes that any relation will deteriorate to a point where relations will end. Maldives has also stated that relations will not be ended with any Commonwealth members, and no member of the Commonwealth has made any statements regarding ending relations with the Maldives.

Chances for sports and education over?

This is the area where Maldives has received the most aid from the Commonwealth. So many worry that leaving the Commonwealth may have an impact on these fields.

"Maldivian sports will face the worst effects of leaving the commonwealth. I do not know what advantages we will receive politically, I only know sports," the General Secretary of Maldives Olympic Committee (MOC), Ahmed Marzooq (Marey) said.

Maldives will no longer be able to participate in the Commonwealth Games, and will also lose the training chances given by the federation.

Even the Sports Minister Irthishaam admits that leaving the Commonwealth will see sports opportunities go down in the Maldives. She said that the lost chances will be brought back in other ways. She also stated that the effect leaving the Commonwealth will have on sports was discussed thoroughly in the cabinet. She said that the while Maldives will no longer participate in the Commonwealth Games, the cabinet had discussed joining other federations or organizations to get new opportunities.

"More countries participate in the Olympics than in the Commonwealth Games, that chance is still open. Indian Ocean Island Games is also there, that is competition where Maldives can find success," The minister said. "Many opportunities can be found even outside the Commonwealth. We will try to send athletes to other countries and find scholarship training programs."

A senior official of the Education Ministry also said that even though opportunities may have been lost, efforts will be made to secure other opportunities. The Ministry said that they will also try to find new scholarships, and will try to increase the amount for the current scholarships.

The official noted that on President Abdulla Yameen's last trip to Saudi Arabia, Saudi Arabia agreed to provide 300 scholarships for the Maldives.

Shall we move on to the old question? What have the changes been since Maldives left the Commonwealth? This is what changed. Disappearance of the fear of punishments. Losing the interference on internal matters. No other changes have been felt yet.