'Peaceful Indian Ocean important': Maldives FM; thanks India for support for UNGA prez candidature

Calling his country as "heart of the Indian ocean", Maldives Foreign minister Abdulla Shahid has called for a "peaceful, prosperous and stable" which is an "essential factor" for the "prosperity of Maldives". Speaking exclusively to our Principal Diplomatic Correspondent Sidhant Sibal during his ongoing Delhi visit, FM Abdulla said, "we will work with all our neighbors in making sure" the region continues to be peaceful." Remember, while India and Maldives are engaging in multiple ways on tackling challenges of the region like terror, piracy, under a trilateral format with Sri Lanka, all 3 countries aim to better enhance the coordination. 

He lauded New Delhi for its vaccine outreach under the vaccine Maitri initiative, saying, "We are very grateful to India for the vaccines it provided and the promptness with which it was provided." The Maldives was one of the first countries to get made-in-India vaccines in January, just 48 hours after India began its mega domestic vaccination program. He also appreciated India's support for his candidature for the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) President.

Q: How do you characterize the relations between the two countries?

Abdulla Shahid: I have been recently describing the relationship between Maldives and India like a flight of a bird. A bird takes flight because the 2 wings flap together in unison. If one wing doesn't flap then the bird cannot fly, the flight is not there. The Maldives, India relationship is like the flight of a bird. Because countries flap their wings together and it's moving into new heights.

Q: India has been providing support to many countries including the Maldives amid the pandemic. Vaccines have been sent out to your country. How do you see it as?

Abdulla Shahid: When India rolled out its vaccine program vaccine Maitri, within 48 hours, Maldives received the gift of vaccines from India, we are very grateful for that. We have been vaccinating our population, I am happy to say, 67% of the population has been vaccinated now, the first dose. In the vaccination program, in the rollout, we do not discriminate among nationalities or among any status. Everyone in the Maldives, irrespective of the status or nationalities will get the opportunity to get vaccinated. No one is safe if everyone is safe. We are very grateful to India for the vaccines it provided and the promptness with which it was provided. We are counting on India, the serum institute to make available more doses so that people who have taken the first dose, are given second dose during the required period of 8-12 weeks.

Q: How do see the ongoing security situation in the Indian Ocean, the collaboration with the regional countries?

Abdulla Shahid: The Maldives regards itself as the heart of the Indian ocean. If you look At the Indian Ocean and compare it with the human body, Maldives lies where the heart lies and throughout ages, Maldives has been the route through which the travelers have been traveling, crossing the Indian ocean. For us, it is very important that the Indian ocean be a peaceful, prosperous, and stable regime, and also for the prosperity of Maldives, it is an essential factor. Also, for the prosperity of the Indian ocean, it is essential Maldives be stable and essential. And, therefore we will work with all our neighbors in making sure that this maintains.

Q: You are standing for President of the United Nations General Assembly. What is your country's main focus with this? You have got Indian support, as well. 

Abdulla Shahid: President Solih came into office promising re-engagement with the international community. You would recall when President Solih took office, we had already left the commonwealth, the previous regime had left the grouping. We have been marginalized internationally. So, President Solih, the first decision as President was to put the candidature of Maldives for the 76th session of the General Assembly. President Solih's decision to nominate me for the candidature is a great honor and a privilege for me. But its Maldives Candidature and the support of the Indian govt for the Maldives Candidature is very much appreciated and it is a great honor for the country. We have been able to work with many countries in many parts of the world and I have been meeting representatives, foreign ministers, ambassadors from many, many countries. The support for the Maldives and the standing that the Maldives has risen internationally since Maldives President took office and we are very confident on the candidature.

Q: You are in Delhi, you already had several engagements with many envoys, you will be meeting EAM. If you can tell us, the main aim here, during your visit.

Abdulla Shahid: The Envoys I have been meeting today have not been to the Maldives, they haven't been able to come to the Maldives for over a year due to the Pandemic. So I am using my Delhi visit, to brief them about the situation in the Maldives and the steps we have been taking during the Pandemic. Many envoys represent countries from where tourists visit the Maldives, so it's good to keep them briefed about the developments in the country. I am looking forward to my meeting tomorrow with the EAM Jaishankar, with whom we are going to review the status of so many projects that are currently undertaken by the Maldives through Indian assistance.

Q: Since you mentioned tourism, a key sector of your economy, how is it going? What, perhaps will you see to Indian tourists coming to your country..?

Abdulla Shahid: We crossed our borders on March 15th, 2020. We reopened after 3 months on 15th July and India was the first country to have a travel bubble with the Maldives and we have been able to secure this travel arrangement between India and Maldives in such a way that tourists visiting the Maldives are safe. The numbers in the Maldives are coming down tremendously and the stay arrangements, the procedures that we have from the airport to the resorts, are very strict. The protocols are adhered to perfectly and it provides a safe passage to visitors. And also, we are blessed with geography, we are an archipelago state, and the concept of one Island, one hotel makes it easy for any outbreak to be contained. So far we haven't got any outbreaks at any tourist resorts and we have been able to provide the tourist with secure confidence that they would require to be on holiday. My advice to all Indians is, come and visit us, gets some sun, sea and the beach.