The Maldives delegation attending the Fourth Senior Officials Meeting between the Maldives and the European Union departed on Sunday to Brussels, Belgium.
The annual Senior Officials Meeting serves as a platform for fostering transparent and positive interaction between the Maldives and the European Union, strengthening the existing bonds of friendship and collaboration. This year marks the fourth edition of the meeting, scheduled to take place on June 13, 2023, in Brussels, Belgium. The third Senior Officials Meeting between the Maldives and the European Union was held on 25 October 2022, in Male’.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Maldives revealed that the agenda for this year’s meeting includes discussions on various topics such as developments in the EU and the Maldives, the Post-Cotonou Agreement, governance, democracy, human rights, rule of law, prevention of violent extremism and counterterrorism, economic and trade cooperation, environment and climate change, development cooperation, fisheries, Schengen Visa facilitation, cooperation in the UN, regional developments, and maritime security.
The Maldives delegation will be led by the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, His Excellency Ahmed Khaleel. Senior officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the President’s Office, Ministry of Economic Development, Ministry of Fisheries, Marine Resources and Agriculture, Ministry of Environment, Climate Change and Technology, Maldives Police Service and National Counter Terrorism Centre will also be in attendance.
The delegation from the European Union will be led by the Deputy Managing Director at the European External Action Service, Paola Pampaloni.
During this visit, the Maldives delegation will also meet with the Secretary-General of Organization of the African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS), His Excellency Georges Rebelo Chikoti; Managing Director for Asia and Pacific at the European External Action Service (EEAS), Mr. Gunnar Wiegand; Director-General at the Directorate-General Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (MARE), Mrs. Charline Vitcheva; EU Counter-Terrorism Coordinator, Mr. Ilkka Salmi; Deputy Director-General at the Directorate-General International Partnerships (INTPA), Mrs. Myriam Ferran; and Director-General at the Directorate-General Trade (TRADE), Mrs. Sabine Weyand.
