Diplomatic World 67

H.E. HASSAN SOBIR
AMBASSADOR OF THE MALDIVES
In 2005, I came to Brussels as Ambassador to the EU. The year
before, the European Parliament has passed a resolution critical
of the political and human rights situation in the Maldives.
the Parliament. In 2019 we received the visit of HRVP Federica
Mogherini, who addressed the Parliament of the Maldives. This
was, to date, the highest level visit by the EU to the Maldives.
Gerard Huiting Honorary Consul of The Maldives, Barbara Dietrich CEO Diplomatic World
and H.E. Hassan Sobir Ambassador of The Maldives
But we were starting to make the transition towards a multi-party
When I arrived in Brussels, on top of our to-do list was to get
These two issues still are very active, but we have been able to
I would also like to mention that the Maldives has decided to join
democracy, with a new Constitution and renewed penal code in
a waiver for the tuna tariff (the Maldives pays 24 percent for
establish now a parliamentary friendship group at the European
the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific states (OACP).
place. The Maldivian government wanted to highlight this to the
exports of tuna into the European Union) and also work on the
Parliament. Also, on the civil society side we have seen the set-
Alone we are vulnerable, we need to be part of a larger grouping,
European Union and the other EU institutions, in our journey to-
visa waiver for Maldivians to travel freely inside the Schengen
ting up of the Benelux-Maldives Friendship Group. I am also very
to advocate for issues such as climate change and a fair trading
wards becoming a respectable small island democratic country.
zone.
honoured that, for the first, time we have an Honorary Consul
system, to allow our nation to play a bigger role in international
of the Maldives for the region of Flanders, my good friend Mr
fora.
At first, there was inevitable scepticism on both sides on whether
The tuna tariff issue is a very difficult one because the EU insti-
Gerard Huiting.
we would be able to make this transition in a very short period of
tutions kept telling me that it is because of the WTO regulation
In the international arena, the Maldives is also seeking a seat at
time. However, I assured my counterparts here that we were very
that we are considered an upper middle income country, and
With the EU, our cooperation is multi-faceted and multi-layered.
the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) for the term
committed, and we were serious about the roadmap.
hence we have to pay this tariff. We keep saying that our tuna is
We are actively participating in programmes such as the EU
2023-2025. The Maldives proudly and effectively served in the
harvested in a very sustainable way (through the pole-and-line
Green Deal and the Global Gateway. We are grateful for the help
Human Rights Council for two consecutive terms, from 2011 to
In 2008, the Maldives held its first multi-party election which re-
fishing method) and while we are an upper middle income coun-
of the EU in the times of pandemic, with a EUR 3 million grant to
2016. With your support, we would like to once again seek the
sulted in the election of our first democratically elected president
try, we should not be punished for this and we should be allowed
support our COVID-19 response and support our health sector
opportunity to serve in the Council and contribute to the work
in our history, Mohamed Nasheed.
to participate in a fair trade system.
and tourism industry.
of the Council to promote and protect human rights, while also
making it more dynamic. Our membership at the Council would
The transition, like many expected, was quite turbulent. We
We feel that it is a very unjustified tariff that has been adopted
Furthermore, under the new Multi-Annual Indicative Framework,
help us in our democratic consolidation process and to further
again had an election in 2018 and at that time, when I returned
and that it should be lifted. Sustainability is mentioned in the
we have been allocated EUR 12 million for the period 2021-2024
accelerate the ongoing efforts to modernize our institutions
to Brussels as Ambassador to the EU, the Foreign Affairs Council
WTO regulations but in practice, lip service is paid to it.
for the priority areas of Good Governance and Green Recovery.
and instil a culture of respect for human rights in the Maldivian
adopted a framework for targeted restrictive measures against
society.
persons and entities responsible for undermining the rule of law
As for the visa waiver, Maldives provides free visas on arrival to
Preparations are underway to negotiate a Partnership and
or obstructing an inclusive political solution in the Maldives.
all countries of the world. Our passport is a very strong one, with
Cooperation Agreement (PCA) with the EU. The main advantage
Currently, there are only two Small Island Developing States
However, in 2019, the Council decided to revoke this framework,
very solid security features implemented – including biometric
of a bilateral agreement with the EU is that the outcome will be
(Republic of Marshall Islands and Cuba) in the UNHRC and the
and since then the trust and confidence of the European Union
passports.
tailored-made to Maldives’ unique case, covering the particular
term for Marshall Islands will conclude at the end of 2022. There-
institutions in the Maldives has only grown.
needs of the Maldivian political, economic, and social landscape.
fore, to ensure a full range of views is considered and to promote
Yet, there is only one European country that provides on-arrival
The EU’s decision to enter into PCA negotiations with Maldives
universality and diversity of the council membership, it is vital for
We were able to establish the kind of trust that the Maldives is a
visas (for 6 months) for Maldivian citizens: the United Kingdom.
is a strong signal of the importance of Maldives as a bilateral
the Maldives to become a member of the council to represent
genuine democracy, a government with respect for human rights,
The Maldives does not pose any migratory threat to any country
partner in the Indo-Pacific region.
the voices of SIDS.
which does not put opponents in prison because of ideological
for that matter, because our population is very small (just over half
differences.
a million). Furthermore, Maldivians today travel to participate in
In the years to come, I shall like to see a greater diplomatic
I leave Brussels with mixed feelings, having met many close
various tourism fairs and other activities. Yet, the Maldives is listed
representation of the EU and its Member States in the Maldives,
friends both in the diplomatic circles and outside of it. I shall
With those assurances, we started a new chapter completely. In
under the common list of countries whose nationals must have a
among many other reasons, because we receive half a million EU
cherish my tenure here and wish relations between the Maldives
this new era, there has been a very strong engagement with the
visa when travelling to the Schengen area. So, I believe it is only
tourists on a yearly basis, who may need consular support and
and the European Union, Belgium and Luxembourg will keep
European Union institutions: the Commission, the Council and
appropriate to ask for reciprocity from the European side as well.
assistance.
reaching new heights!
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