Japan and Maldives Successfully Conclude Fourth Round of Policy Dialogue

On Tuesday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Maldives and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan successfully concluded the 4^th Round of the Japan-Maldives Policy Dialogue. The dialogue was held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan.

The discussions held at the dialogue were productive and build on the solid foundation established during the previous three rounds of the policy dialogue The Japan-Maldives Policy Dialogue emphasized enhancing existing close relationships between the two countries, particularly through economic and development cooperation, in trade and investment, cultural exchanges as well as regional and maritime cooperation.

There were three main key areas of focus during the dialogue. This included:
Economic Cooperation: Discussions were directed towards potential areas of collaboration, aiming to create a prosperous future for both countries via joint efforts and initiatives.

Regional and International Issues: Both countries looked into pressing regional and global concerns and stressed the importance of maintaining peace, stability, and prosperity in the region. Japan and the Maldives also explored the potential of partnerships in tackling these challenges, including in a free and open Indian Ocean region.

People-to-People Exchanges: The dialogue underscored the necessity of cultural exchange and educational cooperation and realized their potential in strengthening mutual understanding and relations between the two nations. On this note, both sides agreed to promote and support more engagements in the field of arts, culture, sports and education.

At the dialogue, the Maldivian delegation was headed by the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, His Excellency Ahmed Khaleel whereas the Japanese delegation was led by the Director-General, Southeast and Southwest Asian Department, His Excellency Arima Yutaka. The Policy Dialogue is a platform between Maldives and Japan to discuss important bilateral, regional and multilateral issues. The last Policy Dialogue was held virtually on 4 March 2021.