Malé, 20 January 2022 (TDI): This morning, at the President’s Office in Malé, the newly-appointed Japanese Ambassador to the Republic of Maldives, Takeuchi Midori, presented her credentials to the President of Maldives, Ibrahim Mohamed Solih. The two engaged in diplomatic discourse after the ceremony to discuss Maldives-Japan relations.
WELCOMING THE NEW AMBASSADOR
President Solih welcomed his visitor with warm greetings, and extended congratulations on her new post. He offered a brief summary of the achievements of the previous Ambassador, Keiko Yanai, in relation to strengthening bilateral ties between Maldives and Japan. Solih expressed his faith in Midori’s ambassadorship, and stated that he hoped she would extend the legacy of her predecessors.
Meanwhile, the Japanese Ambassador underscored that the year 2022 marks Japan and Maldives’ 55th anniversary of establishing diplomatic relations. She demonstrated belief that it would be a productive year for the two countries, in terms of increasing bilateral cooperation and collaborating in combatting regional as well as global issues.
As she presented credentials to the President, she assured him of her commitment to ensuring stronger relations between both nations.
JAPAN’S ASSISTANCE TO THE MALDIVES
Following this, Solih communicated gratitude to the Japanese Government for its continued support in developing various industries of the Maldives. In particular, he mentioned Japan’s valuable contributions in the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic.
He highlighted that the Maldives received a large sum from Japan in the form of the Covid-19 Response Emergency Support Loan. This was extremely helpful in protecting the lives of citizens and ensuring relief to those in need.
The President additionally thanked Japan for continuing to work on development projects in the Maldives. He made particular references to the Sea Wall Renovation project and Digital Terrestrial Television Broadcasting Project.
Furthermore, he also expressed appreciation for their assistance in developing Maldives’ health, sports, education, and agriculture spheres. Solih noted that it was commendable of the Japanese Government to offer scholarships opportunities to Maldivian scholars.
The Japanese Development Scholarship Programme has played a pivotal role in increasing human resource capacity in Maldives. Finally, Ambassador Midori noted that she was honored to carry on the role of addressing Maldives’ developmental objectives.
She expressed that she would work closely with relevant officials in helping develop various areas in Maldives. These include agriculture, fisheries, governance, climate change and disaster prevention.
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