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Contents of letter to Mauritius PM will be disclosed in accordance with standard protocol: Foreign Minister Shahid

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The contents of the letter sent by Maldivian President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih to the Mauritius Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth acknowledging Mauritius’ sovereign claim over Chagos will be disclosed in accordance with standard protocol, states Maldivian Foreign Minister Abdulla Shahid.

Shahid made the comment in a joint press conference with Attorney General Ibrahim Riffath at the President’s Office on Tuesday evening.

At the press conference, Shahid said the contents of the controversial letter sent on August 22 will be disclosed in accordance with the legal protocol for disclosure of such documents.

Shahid said the claims being made by politicians regarding the Chagos dispute is misleading, and that President Solih did not promise anything in exchange for Maldives’ vote for the Chagos decolonization resolution in the UN General Assembly.

Shahid said the current administration would not take any action damaging to Maldives’ sovereignty.

He also alleged it was former Maldivian President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom who led efforts to sell off Maldivian atolls during his administration.

“As far as I am aware, it was during President Yameen’s administration that amendments were made to the Constitution to sell off different areas of Maldives. But one of the first act of our President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih after coming to office was to amend the Constitution to ensure no area of Maldives can be sold to foreign parties,” he said.

Shahid said the President Solih did not say in his letter that Maldives had changed its stand on the maritime territorial dispute with Mauritius over Chagos. He said that Maldives will continue to work within the legal bounds to resolve the dispute.

As the government refuses to disclose the contents of the letter, Mahibadhoo MP Ahmed Toriq, an opposition politician, submitted a motion to the last week, seeking a parliamentary inquiry into the contents of the letter, citing it poses grounds for changes to the Maldives’ exclusive economic zone declared in Article 3 of the Constitution.

The territorial dispute is over an area between the Maldives and Chagos Islands – a group of seven atolls comprising more than 60 islands in the Indian Ocean about 500 kilometers south of the Maldives archipelago.

For decades, Mauritius and the United Kingdom have been in a dispute over ownership of the Chagos, after Mauritius claimed the Chagos archipelago as Mauritian territory when Mauritius gained independence from the UK in 1968. Maldives became involved in the dispute as the country’s exclusive economic zone overlaps with that of Chagos.

Mauritius lodged the case with the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea on August 23, 2019.

Source(s): sun.mv

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Police officers complete training to prevent maritime terrorism acts

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A team of 22 police officers has successfully completed a specialised training programme focused on thwarting maritime terrorism activities.

Entitled “Training on Strengthening Capabilities to Disrupt Maritime Crimes as Related to Terrorist Threats,” the program was conducted through a collaborative effort between the Maldives Police Service (MPS) and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). Running from May 13 to 15, the intensive training equipped participants with essential skills and knowledge crucial for combating threats in maritime environments.

The concluding ceremony, graced by the presence of Chief Superintendent of Police Ibrahim Adnan Anees, Head of Marine Police, along with senior officials from the Marine Police Department, UNODC’s Head of Office Enrico Boninsegna, and course instructor Kenneth Alferdo Pennington, highlighted the significance of such initiatives in enhancing national security.

Addressing the gathering, Adnan underscored the importance of ongoing education and skill development, urging participants to actively apply the knowledge garnered from the program in their professional endeavors.

The training, conducted at Dhoonidhoo, Kaafu Atoll, imparted vital insights into the prevention and detection of maritime terrorism activities, emphasizing protocols for safe navigation in high-risk areas. Furthermore, officers received guidance on investigative procedures essential for effectively addressing such crimes, thereby bolstering the nation’s capabilities in combating maritime threats.

Source(s): PsmNews

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President reverts land act amendment to parliament

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President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu has reverted the Ninth Amendment Bill to the Maldives Land Act to Parliament for further consideration.

This bill, which seeks to establish criteria for recipients of residential land and mandates that land be allocated within three months of the publication of the permanent list of recipients in the gazette, was initially passed during the twenty-second sitting of Parliament’s first session this year and sent to the President’s Office for ratification on May 2.

In returning the bill, President Muizzu invoked Article 91(a) of the Constitution, which grants the President the authority to return legislation to Parliament for reconsideration.

The President’s Office has confirmed this, indicating the need for further review and potential revisions to the proposed amendment.

Source(s): PsmNews

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President pledges to advance telecom and markets for Maldivian products

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President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu has pledged to lead the nation towards a future of improved telecommunications infrastructure while simultaneously fostering and securing markets for the commercialization of domestic products. These commitments were articulated by the president in commemoration of World Telecommunication and Information Society Day.

In a widely circulated social media post, President Dr. Muizzu affirmed his dedication to opening up the country to cutting-edge communication channels and platforms. Furthermore, he reiterated his unwavering commitment to leveraging international markets to showcase the talents and products of Maldivians, thereby generating revenue for the nation.

President Dr. Muizzu’s vision includes the introduction of innovative financial services and transactions within the country. In line with this pledge, the Bank of Maldives (BML) initiated financial transaction services in March, offering online money transfer platforms such as digital wallets. Additionally, preparations are underway to introduce E-wallet services, which will streamline financial transactions through platforms like PayPal.

Source(s): PsmNews

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