Eight newly appointed ambassadors and high commissioners accredited to the Maldives formally presented their Letters of Credence to President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu on Thursday, as the country continued a series of diplomatic engagements aimed at strengthening ties with partners across Europe, Asia, Africa and North America.
The credential presentation ceremonies were held at the President’s Office, where the newly appointed envoys were officially received by the President.
The event came just a day after another group of eight newly appointed ambassadors presented their credentials, bringing the total number of diplomats formally accredited to the Maldives over two days to 16.
In keeping with diplomatic tradition, the visiting ambassadors and high commissioners were escorted to the President’s Office in a ceremonial procession featuring the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) honour guard and the military’s drum and bugle corps.
After accepting their credentials, President Muizzu congratulated each envoy on their appointment and welcomed them to the Maldives before holding separate discussions focused on expanding bilateral cooperation.
Among those presenting credentials was Portugal’s non-resident Ambassador, H.E. João Manuel Mendes Ribeiro de Almeida. Talks focused on strengthening collaboration in climate action, tourism and cooperation in international organisations. The Maldives and Portugal established diplomatic relations on 9 February 1995.
Bhutan’s non-resident Ambassador, H.E. Dasho Karma Hamu Dorjee, also met with the President to discuss opportunities for closer collaboration, particularly in tourism and hospitality, with both sides expressing their commitment to further developing bilateral relations. The Maldives and Bhutan established diplomatic ties on 13 July 1984.
Canada’s new High Commissioner, H.E. Isabelle Marie Catherine Martin, discussed a broad range of potential areas for cooperation, including climate change adaptation, the seaplane industry, women’s and youth empowerment, and gender equality. The two countries have maintained diplomatic relations since 14 December 1981.
Austria’s non-resident Ambassador, H.E. Dr. Robert Zischg, held talks covering tourism, fisheries, climate change mitigation, international cooperation and scholarship opportunities for diplomatic training. Diplomatic relations between the Maldives and Austria date back to 1 March 1978, making Austria one of the Maldives’ longest-standing diplomatic partners among the newly represented countries.
The President also received the credentials of Burkina Faso’s non-resident Ambassador, H.E. Dr. Désiré Boniface Somé. Discussions centred on infrastructure development, tourism, fisheries and broader development cooperation. The Maldives and Burkina Faso established diplomatic relations on 29 December 2011.
Ghana’s High Commissioner, H.E. Prof. Kwasi Obiri-Danso, discussed expanding collaboration in trade, tourism and technical cooperation, while both countries also reaffirmed their commitment to working together in regional and multilateral forums. Diplomatic ties between the Maldives and Ghana were established on 10 August 1989.
Turkmenistan’s non-resident Ambassador, H.E. Shalar Geldynazarov, explored opportunities for enhanced cooperation in economic development, investment and transport during his meeting with President Muizzu. The Maldives established diplomatic relations with Turkmenistan on 25 September 1992.
The final envoy to present credentials was the Ambassador of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, H.E. Viengsavanh Sipraseuth, who discussed avenues for expanding cooperation and launching new joint initiatives. The Maldives and Laos established diplomatic relations on 10 February 2012.
The presentation of Letters of Credence is a formal diplomatic process through which ambassadors and high commissioners are officially recognised by the receiving state, enabling them to begin carrying out their duties.
Since assuming office, President Muizzu’s administration has placed renewed emphasis on strengthening the Maldives’ diplomatic engagement, expanding bilateral partnerships and promoting cooperation in areas such as climate resilience, sustainable tourism, trade, fisheries, investment and international development. The meetings held with the newly accredited envoys reflected those priorities, with climate action and economic cooperation emerging as recurring themes across several bilateral discussions.
