Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Maldives, Abdulla Shahid, has departed to London, UK, today to attend the Flag Hoisting Ceremony at the Commonwealth Secretariat following re-admission of the Maldives to the Commonwealth on 1 February 2020.

During the visit, Foreign Minister Shahid is set to meet with key interlocutors both in the Commonwealth family and in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office of the United Kingdom and reiterate the commitment of the Maldives to engage proactively within the Commonwealth with its Member States.

The Flag Hoisting Ceremony at Marlborough House is due to be held on 6 February 2020, after which the Minister will travel to the High Commission of Maldives in London to unveil its new name plaque.

The hoisting of the Maldivian flag at the Commonwealth Secretariat building in Marlborough House symbolizes the Maldives’ re-admission to the organization as its 54th Member State.

As is the practice in Commonwealth countries, diplomatic representation of the Maldives in other Commonwealth countries is now recognized as “High Commissions” instead of “Embassies”.

The Maldives was re-admitted to the Commonwealth on 1 February 2020 after almost 4 years. Upon taking the Oath of Office, President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih made re-joining the Commonwealth one of his key foreign policy pledges.

The Majority Leader of the Parliament, Ali Azim MP is accompanying Minister Shahid on the visit and will be representing the Maldivian Parliament at the ceremony in London.

The Maldives formally submitted an expression of interest on 6 December 2018 and after two assessment visits in January and August 2019 along with an election observation mission in April 2019, the Maldives was formally re-admitted to the Commonwealth.