Minister of Foreign Affairs Abdulla Shahid has departed to London, United Kingdom, to attend the Flag Hoisting Ceremony at the Commonwealth Secretariat following Maldives' re-admission to the Commonwealth on February 1.
During the visit, Foreign Minister Shahid will meet with key interlocutors both in the Commonwealth family, and in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office of the United Kingdom, and reiterate the commitment of Maldives to engage closely and proactively within the Commonwealth, and with its member states.
The Flag Hoisting Ceremony at Marlborough House is due to be held on February 6, 2020, after which the minister will travel to the High Commission of Maldives in London, to unveil its new name plaque. As is the practice in Commonwealth countries, diplomatic representation of the Maldives in other Commonwealth countries is now recognised as high commissions instead of embassies.
The hoisting of the Maldivian flag at the Commonwealth Secretariat building in Marlborough House symbolises the Maldives' re-admission to the organisation as its 54th member state. Maldives was re-admitted to the Commonwealth on February 1, 2020 after almost 4 years. Upon taking oath at office, President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih made re-joining the Commonwealth one of his key foreign policy pledges.
Maldives formally submitted an expression of interest on December 6, 2018 and after two assessment visits in January and August 2019, and an elections observation mission in April 2019, Maldives was formally re-admitted to the Commonwealth on February 1, 2020.
Following Foreign Minister Shahid's visit to London, Maldives will continue to work actively to restore its place in the Commonwealth family, contribute to its subsidiary bodies, and partake in a variety of Commonwealth activities, including the Commonwealth Games. The Majority Leader of the Parliament of Maldives, Ali Azim is accompanying Minister Shahid and will be representing the parliament at the ceremony in London.