Maldives and Australia Hold Inaugural Senior Officials Talks
The governments of the Maldives and Australia held their inaugural Senior Officials Talks, marking a significant milestone in the strengthening of bilateral relations and cooperation between the two nations.
The Maldivian delegation was led by Fathimath Inaya, the Foreign Secretary of the Maldivian Foreign Ministry, while the Australian delegation was headed by Sarah Storey, the First Assistant Secretary of Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
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According to the Maldivian Foreign Ministry, the discussions covered a broad range of thematic areas, focusing on bolstering the already strong bilateral relationship. Both nations explored key areas of mutual interest, including governance, democracy, trade, tourism, climate change, defence, security, and development cooperation.
During the talks, both sides highlighted the importance of strengthening economic ties and agreed to explore further opportunities for collaboration in development, trade, and tourism. Senior officials emphasised the potential for increased trade flows and investment, which would benefit both economies and foster sustainable development.
The Maldives and Australia also reaffirmed their commitment to addressing climate change and promoting environmental conservation. They identified collaborative initiatives in renewable energy and conservation as priority areas for future cooperation, aiming to attract development partners in this sector.
Security and stability in the Indo-Pacific region were also key topics of discussion. Both parties expressed their dedication to working together on issues such as maritime and aviation security, border management, and resilience-building efforts. In particular, they agreed to explore policing collaboration between the Maldives Police Service and Australian counterparts to enhance regional stability.
The talks further addressed the possibility of strengthening ties between Australia’s Border Force (ABF) and the border and civil maritime security (CMS) agencies of the Maldives. Discussions included the development of memoranda of understanding (MOUs) between the respective agencies and the introduction of a new initiative by the ABF College under the ABF-DFAT Indian Ocean Maritime Security Project. This initiative aims to build the capacity of Maldivian CMS agencies through specialised training focused on the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, maritime domain awareness, and leadership.
The talks concluded with both nations expressing their commitment to maintaining an open dialogue and continuing to enhance cooperation, with plans to hold regular discussions in the future to further deepen their relationship.
