The Maldives and Egypt has discussed the prospects for opening resident missions in the respective capitals of both countries to step up diplomatic ties.
The Second Round of Maldives-Egypt Bilateral Political Consultations took place on July 16 in Male' City. The meeting was led by Minister of State for Foreign Affairs in the Maldives Ahmed Khaleel and Assistant Minister for Asian Affairs in Egypt Ayman Kamel and aimed to strengthen bilateral relations.
The discussions focused on enhancing engagement in economic cooperation, trade, tourism, culture, health, education, climate change, and security. Both countries expressed excitement for celebrating the 55th diplomatic anniversary in 2024, highlighting recent high-level visits that have reinforced bilateral ties. In addition, both ministers explored opening resident missions in their respective capitals to deepen diplomatic relations. They also considered enacting business councils, parliamentary friendship groups, and friendship societies to bolster collaboration and mutual recognition, acknowledging the importance of institutional frameworks.
Additionally, the Maldives sought the expertise of Egypt in education and training tailored to the shipbuilding industry. Both nations agreed to exchange best practices to enhance visitor experiences and develop human resources for the flourishing tourism sector. The Maldives also emphasised the role of Egypt as a gateway to Africa and discussed the potential of establishing direct air connections to yield economic benefits. In addition, the Maldives expressed gratitude for the contributions of Egypt to human resources development through scholarships from Al-Azhar University and dedicated healthcare services provided by Egyptian doctors.
Furthermore, the Maldives and Egypt reaffirmed their commitment to collaborate at the United Nations (UN) and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) on issues like climate change, environmental protection, Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), maritime security, counter-radicalisation, counter-terrorism, and challenges affecting the Islamic community. Both countries also discussed organising a conference on tolerance in Islam and joining efforts to combat terrorism and radicalisation. Recognising the significance of strengthening Islamic solidarity, both nations pledged to work together bilaterally and internationally. They further expressed dedication to building upon their high-level meetings and planned to hold the third round of Bilateral Political Consultations in Cairo in 2024.
During the Second Round of Consultations, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on cooperation in diplomatic training was signed between the Foreign Service Institute of the Maldives and the Institute for Diplomatic Studies of Egypt.