Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Maldives, His Excellency Abdulla Shahid, had a telephone conversation with His Excellency Dr. Vivian Balakrishnan, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Republic of Singapore, today.
Minister Shahid briefed his Singaporean counterpart on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in the Maldives and the measures implemented to curb the spread of the virus. Minister Shahid highlighted the impact on the economy of the Maldives noting that Maldives as a small island developing state is highly dependent on tourism and imports.
Foreign Minister Shahid expressed Maldivian Government’s gratitude for the generous donations from Singaporean individuals and companies who are investors in the tourism sector of the Maldives and also thanked the Government of Singapore for the assistance provided in the past.
Minister Shahid also noted the challenges posed to the Maldivian health sector in coping with the COVID-19 pandemic and requested for assistance from the Singaporean Government.
Both Foreign Ministers reaffirmed their commitment to continued cooperation and and collaboration in advancing interests on areas of mutual concern, both bilaterally and internationally.