The governments of the Maldives and Japan have concluded the 3rd Round of Japan-Maldives Policy Dialogue, which was held virtually on March 4.
The Dialogue focused on enhancing the already close relations between the two countries, especially through economic and development cooperation, in trade and investment, cultural exchanges, and in regional and maritime cooperation. Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Ahmed Khaleel led the Maldives Delegation, while the Japanese Delegation was led by Director-General, Southeast and Southwest Asian Affairs Department at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, Kobayashi Kenichi.
During the discussions, both sides deliberated on ways to further enhance existing avenues of cooperation and to explore new opportunities in going forward. Speaking at the Dialogue, State Minister Khaleel emphasised that Japan has always been a close and trusted friend of the Maldives and its people, and reiterated the long-standing and special relationship between Maldives and Japan. In light of this relationship, both countries agreed to hold further discussions in areas of mutual interest. State Minister Khaleel further thanked Japan for the assistance it continues to provide to the Maldives, especially during the global pandemic.
Meanwhile, Mr. Kobayashi Kenichi also highlighted the strong bilateral relations that exist between the two countries and expressed his appreciation to the Maldivian government for its cooperation with Japan on international and regional issues. He noted the Maldives remains a very valuable partner to Japan, and that it looked forward to welcoming Maldivian athletes taking part in the Summer Olympics in Tokyo. He further highlighted the importance of 2022 for Japan/Maldives relations as both countries embark on the 55th Anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties, and will be cooperating closely to exchange high-level visits in the near future.
The Policy Dialogue is a platform between the two countries to discuss important bilateral, regional and multilateral issues. The last Policy Dialogue was held in the Maldives in 2019.