The British High Commissioner to the Maldives Caron Röhsler paid a courtesy visit on President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih Sunday at the President’s Office.
During the meeting, the progressing of the friendly bilateral relations between the Maldives and the United Kingdom were discussed. The President and High Commissioner spoke on a wide range of items, including tourism, bilateral trade, enhancing educational opportunities for Maldivian students wishing to study in the UK, defense cooperation, and climate action.
The President congratulated the High Commissioner on completing a successful first year heading Britain’s resident diplomatic mission to the Maldives. The High Commissioner presented her credentials on October 30, 2019 to become the U.K’s first resident Ambassador to the Maldives.
The President and High Commissioner also spoke with regard to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. The High Commissioner congratulated the Maldives Government on its effective measures to contain the pandemic within the country; and President Solih expressed his hope that the new lockdown announced for England will prove effective in reducing the number of cases in the UK. He expressed his hope that the situation will continue to improve, so that the Maldives can soon welcome more British tourists into the Maldives, making use of the recently announced air-bridge between the Maldives and the United Kingdom, under which travelers to each others’ country will not be required to quarantine. The President thanked the UK Government for removing the Maldives from its UK Travel Advisory, easing restrictions for Maldivians wishing to travel to the UK.
Concluding the call both the President and High Commissioner expressed their mutual interest in further strengthening UK-Maldives relations.
