Maldives’ First Embassy in Mideast Opens in Riyadh

Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Dr. Nizar Madani and Maldivian Foreign Minister Abdullah Shahid formally opened the new Maldivian Embassy in Riyadh on Monday in an event attended by senior government officials and foreign diplomats.

To mark the occasion, the Saudi state minister and the visiting minister unfurled the Maldivian national flag on the embassy’s premises in the Sulaimaniyah district of Riyadh. Following the ceremonial opening, the island’s new Ambassador Hussain Shihab, who presented his credentials to Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah on Sunday, hosted a luncheon.

“We are happy to have opened our embassy in the Saudi capital, which is the first Maldivian mission in the Middle East,” Shahid told Arab News.

“We chose Saudi Arabia as the first destination to have our foreign mission in the region because the Kingdom, which hosts millions of pilgrims in the holy cities of Makkah and Madinah each year, is not only a leader in the Muslim world but also as a strategic hub,” the minister said, pointing out that the Maldives has been a Muslim country for well over 855 years.

“Saudi Arabia plays an important role in unifying the Islamic Ummah and we are happy that we have stepped into this holy soil at a time when there is a strong need for unity among the world Muslim community,” he noted.

He said that his country is gradually spreading its diplomatic wings by opening new missions in Singapore, Tokyo, Beijing, Geneva and now in Saudi Arabia. He added that the embassy’s priority would be to develop strong economic relations between the Kingdom and the Maldives.

He also said the mission’s officials would be in a position to meet and assist the Haj and Umrah pilgrims who come to the holy cities during the respective seasons. Around 3,000 pilgrims come every year for Haj and Umrah from the Maldives.

The mission, in cooperation with the Honorary Consul Abdul Hameed Hanaffi, who is based in Jeddah, will also offer consular services to its nationals and others.

With regard to the entry visa to Madives, he said that the Maldivian government issues visas on arrival to Saudis and people resident in the Kingdom. He added that his government would start negotiations with the Saudi aviation authorities to start direct flights between Saudi Arabia and the Maldives.

Source: http://www.arabnews.com/