Foreign Minister Shahid calls for greater intra-Commonwealth support at the Commonwealth Foreign Affairs Ministers Meeting
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Abdulla Shahid, today participated in the 22nd Commonwealth Foreign Affairs Ministers Meeting (CFAMM) held at Marlborough House, London. The Commonwealth Foreign Affairs Ministers Meeting brought together Foreign Ministers from across the Commonwealth to deliberate on and hold an interactive discussion on three topics: “Building Resilience for Peaceful, Just and Stable Societies”, Financing for Climate-Resilient and Sustainable Development”, and “Leveraging Intra-Commonwealth Trade and Digital Connectivity”.
At the start of deliberations, Minister Shahid took the opportunity to offer condolences on the passing of Her late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, Vice President of The Gambia Badara Alieu Joof, and the Foreign Minister of Ghana, Michael Moussa Adamo. He also expressed confidence in His Majesty King Charles III’s commitment to further strengthening the Commonwealth.
Minister Shahid called for strengthened support within the Commonwealth towards areas including good governance, rule of law, stability, economic recovery and relieving debt burdens. He further stressed the need to finalize the Multidimensional Vulnerability Index (MVI) and called on the Commonwealth to push International Financial Institutions to adopt the MVI. On climate change and environmental protection, Minister Shahid acknowledged the role played by the various Commonwealth mechanisms in place to support its Member States, including the Commonwealth Living Lands Charter, Commonwealth Blue Charter and the Commonwealth Climate Finance Access Hub. He also called for the operationalization of the Loss and Damage Fund in the lead up to COP28.
Minister Shahid also met and interacted with a number of Commonwealth Foreign Ministers on the sidelines of the meeting.
Minister Shahid was accompanied by the Foreign Secretary, Ahmed Latheef, High Commissioner of the Republic of Maldives to the United Kingdom, Dr. Farahanaz Faizal, Joint Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mariyam Midhfa Naeem, Counsellor at the High Commission of the Republic of Maldives to the United Kingdom, Moosa Yameen Shahid, and Director at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ahmed Salman Zaki.