2nd December 2011: New York: The Republic of Maldives and Saint Lucia have established diplomatic relations today at a ceremony that was held in New York. The Joint Communiqué formalising diplomatic relations between the two countries was signed on behalf of the Government of Maldives, by H.E. Mr Abdul Ghafoor Mohamed, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Maldives to the United Nations and by H.E. Mr Donatus Keith St. Aimee, Permanent Representative of Saint Lucia to the United Nations, on behalf of the Government of Saint Lucia.
The ceremony was held at the Permanent Mission of the Republic of Maldives to the United Nations and was also attended by Mr Amin Javed Faizal, Second Secretary of the Permanent Mission.
Saint Lucia is an island state located in the Caribbean. A member of the Commonwealth of Nations, Saint Lucia is a constitutional monarchy and a parliamentary democracy with Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II as its Head of State. Saint Lucia recently held its General Elections on 28 November, and elected The Honourable Kenny Anthony of the Labour Party as its Prime Minister, winning a majority in the 17-member House of Assembly.
The Maldives and Saint Lucia have long enjoyed friendly relations in the past. Both countries being small island states, the Maldives and Saint Lucia share a number of concerns in the international arena, and have been working closely together within the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS) on combating climate change and environmental degradation.
Speaking at the ceremony, Ambassador Abdul Ghafoor Mohamed reiterated the commitment of the Government of Maldives to foster ties with friendly countries, and hoped that the formal establishment of diplomatic relations would strengthen the relations between the two countries and their peoples.
Saint Lucia is the 160th country to establish diplomatic relations with the Maldives.
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