The delegation of the Maldives attending the Fourth Senior Officials Meeting between the Maldives and the European Union (EU) has departed to Brussels, Belgium.
The Senior Officials Meeting between the Maldives and the EU is held annually and serves as a platform for fostering transparent and positive interaction, strengthening the existing bonds of friendship and collaboration. This year marks the fourth edition of the meeting, scheduled to take place on June 13 in Brussels. The Third Senior Officials Meeting between the Maldives and the EU was held on October 25, 2022, in Male’ City.
The agenda for this year's meeting includes discussions on various topics such as developments in the Maldives and the EU, the Post-Cotonou Agreement, governance, democracy, human rights, rule of law, prevention of violent extremism and counterterrorism, economic and trade cooperation, environment and climate change, development cooperation, fisheries, Schengen Visa facilitation, cooperation in the United Nations (UN), regional developments, and maritime security.
The delegation of the Maldives will be led by the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Ahmed Khaleel. The delegation includes senior officials from the President’s Office, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Economic Development, the Ministry of Fisheries, Marine Resources and Agriculture, the Ministry of Environment, Climate Change and Technology, the Maldives Police Service (MPS), and the National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC). The delegation from the EU will be led by the Deputy Managing Director of the European External Action Service Paola Pampaloni.