The Fifth Senior Officials Meeting between the Maldives and the European Union (EU) was held on June 02, 2024 in Male’.
The Maldives and the EU confirmed their mutual interest to further strengthen and deepen the mutually beneficial cooperation rooted in shared values and commitment to the principles of the UN Charter and international law.
At the meeting, both the Maldives and the EU reaffirmed their commitment to cooperate in various sectors, including democratic reforms, the green transition, climate change mitigation and adaptation, good governance, human rights, and security.
EU also congratulated the Maldives on the well-organized major elections – the Presidential Elections held in September 2023 and the Parliamentary Elections in April 2024.
Maldives thanked the EU for sending an Elections Observation Mission during the presidential election.
As a result of the Maldives’ membership of the Organization of African, Caribbean, and Pacfici States (OACPS), the Maldives is currently in the process of completing the domestic legal procedures to sign and ratify the Samoa Agreement.
This step would enhance the relationship between the Maldives and the EU, and regional integration as well. This acts as a precursor for the Maldives to negotiate its accession to an interim Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) between the regional groups of OACPS and the EU, which would provide a tariff-free access to the EU market.
At the meeting, Maldives also focused on the ongoing initiatives to improve the governance system, build economic resilience, strengthen democracy, promote the rule of law and ensure protection of human rights through implementation of significant changes to the legal and justice sectors.
Besides this, Maldives expressed gratitude to the EU for implementing projects on green recovery, good governance, and other various support measures through the EU’s Multi-Annual Indicative Program (MIP) 2021-2027.
Maldives as such, noted the generous assistance through the EU-UNDP partnership agreement “Accountability and Integrity Matters – AIM Project”, valued at EUR 5 million ( MVR 74.8 million), aimed at strengthening the rule of law and enhancing transparency and integrity within relevant institutions.
The financing agreement on “Improved Biodiversity Management to support a Blue Economy in the Maldives”, was signed on the sidelines of the meeting. This programme of EUR 6.5 million (MVR 97.2 million) under the MIP focused on biodiversity protection and sustainable management of natural resources, which will build the local capacity to manage multiple bioreserve areas.
Additionally, Maldives expressed appreciation for the ongoing support provided through the Global Gateway strategy, notably the Sustainability Energy Development Programme implemented by the EIB.
This operation is a EUR 45 million EIB loan guaranteed by the EU budget, enabling the Maldives to reduce diesel usage and bring down the cost of electricity generation, enhance the use of renewables, provide affordable power to unserved and under-served businesses and residences, and reduce carbon dioxide emissions.
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