State Minister hosts luncheon in honour of the visiting US Assistant Secretary of State
Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ahmed Khaleel hosts a luncheon in honour of the visiting Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs of the United States Department of State, Donald Lu, today.
During this luncheon, State Minister Khaleel and Assistant Secretary of State Lu discussed the traditionally close bilateral relationship between the Maldives and the United States including existing bilateral cooperation programmes and global matters of mutual importance. The discussions also focsed on the establishment of a resident US Embassy, as well as expanding cooperation in the fields of education, environment and climate change, economic cooperation, cybersecurity, good governance, and countering terrorism and preventing violent extremism.
State Minister Khaleel and Assistant Secretary of State Lu further reiterated the commitment of both countries to working together to fortify the existing bond between the Maldives and the United States of America.
Assistant Secretary of State Lu was accompanied by Chargé d'affaires at the Embassy of the United States of America, Mr. Martin Kelly, Executive Director at the Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs of the Department of State of the United States of America, Ms. Rachna Korhonen, and senior officials from the United States Department of State and the Embassy of the United States of America.
State Minister Ahmed Khaleel was accompanied by Chief of Protocol, Ms. Aishath Shaan Shakir, Additional Secretary, Mr. Ahmed Shiaan, Joint Secretary, Ms. Shiuneen Rasheed, and senior officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Maldives.
Assistant Secretary Lu is currently on a two day official visit to the Maldives.