Bilateral Relations

between the Kingdom of Morocco and the Maldives

July 2022

I. Diplomatic relations

The Kingdom of Morocco and the Republic of the Maldives established their diplomatic relations on 4^th February 1988. Morocco’s diplomatic coverage of the Maldives is the mission of the Ambassador of His Majesty the King of Morocco with residence in India.

During a ceremony organized on 18^th April 2018, at the Presidency’s Office in the Maldives, Mr. Mohamed Maliki, presented to the President of the Maldives, H.E. Mr. Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom, his credentials as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of His Majesty the King of Morocco to the Republic of the Maldives, with residence in New Delhi.

In September 2020, Mr. Ahmed Nashid was appointed the first ever Honorary Consul of the Kingdom of Morocco in the Maldives.

In January 2022, His Majesty the King of Morocco gave His Approval for the appointment of His Excellency Dr. Asim Ahmed as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of the Maldives to His Majesty the King of Morocco, with residence in Geneva.

On July 18, 2022, the Ambassador of Morocco to the Maldives with residence in New Delhi, Mr. Mohamed Maliki, proceeded on Monday, together with the Foreign Secretary of the Maldivian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Ahmed Latheef, to the official inauguration of the headquarters of the Consulate honorary from the Kingdom of Morocco to the Maldives.

• Exchange visits

From the Moroccan side

• November 2008: Invited by the Maldivian authorities, Morocco, represented by Mr. Azeroual, Director General of Multilateral Relations and Global Cooperation at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, participated in the investiture ceremony of the new President of the Republic, His Excellency Mohamed Nasheed.

• November 1993: The Ambassador of Morocco in New Delhi represented the Moroccan Government at the investiture ceremony of the President of Maldives, His Excellency Abdul Gayoum.

• December 2018: Secretary of State to the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the Kingdom of Morocco, Her Excellency Mounia Boucetta, represented His Majesty King Mohammed VI of Morocco at the Presidential investiture ceremony of His Excellency Mr. Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, President of the Republic of Maldives.

From the Maldivian side

• February 1993: The President of the Maldives stayed in Morocco during the month of Ramadan to attend religious Hassanian Lectures.

• June 1997: Visit to Morocco by the Minister of Education of the Maldives, Dr. Mohammed Latheef.

• July 1999: The Republic of the Maldives was represented by an official delegation, chaired by the Minister of Justice, during the presentation of condolences to the Sovereign, following the death of the late His Majesty King Hassan II.

• 15^th November 2019: Visit to Morocco by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of the Maldives, Mr. Abdulla Shahid.

Virtual exchanges

• 28^th May 2021: The Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccans Expatriates of the Kingdom of Morocco, Mr. Nasser Bourita, had a meeting by videoconference with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of the Maldives, Mr. Abdulla Shahid.

• 15^th January 2021: Virtual participation of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Maldives, Mr. Abdulla Shahid, at the Ministerial Conference in support of Morocco’s autonomy plan for the Moroccan Sahara.

II. Bilateral trade

Due to the geographical distance and the nature of the Maldivian economy essentially based on tourism, trade between Morocco and the Republic of the Maldives is almost non-existent.

III. Legal framework

The legal framework between Morocco and the Republic of the Maldives was practically born with the visit to Morocco of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of the Maldives, Mr. Abdulla Shahid, in November 2019; visit during which there was the signing of four (4) Agreements / Memorandum of Understanding.

During this visit, the signing of an Agreement on Islamic Cooperation between the Ministry of Habous and Islamic Affairs of the Kingdom of Morocco and the Maldivian Ministry of Islamic Affairs; An Agreement which allows Imams of the Republic of Maldives to benefit from training at the Mohammed VI Institute for the Training of Imams, Morchidines and Morchidates.

During the same visit, an Agreement was signed by the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Morocco and Maldives which allows exemption from the visa procedure for nationals of the Kingdom of Morocco and the Republic of the Maldives to enter and stay on their respective territories. This Agreement entered into force on 31^th January 2020.

Also, the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the two countries signed at the same time two Memoranda of Understanding. The first one is related to the establishment of the mechanism of Political Consultations between the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of the both countries, while the second MoU wa about the cooperation between the Moroccan Academy of Diplomatic Studies and the Maldivian Institute of Diplomatic Studies.