President-elect of the 76th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) and Foreign Minister of the Maldives, H.E. Abdulla Shahid, called on Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi today.

The President-elect of the 76th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) and Foreign Minister of the Maldives, H.E. Abdulla Shahid, called on Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi today.

H.E. Abdulla Shahid is visiting India in his capacity as President-elect of the 76th session of the UNGA, following the election held in New York on July 7, 2021.  Prime Minister congratulated H.E. Abdulla Shahid on his resounding victory in the election, noting that this reflects the growing stature of the Maldives on the world stage.

Prime Minister felicitated the President-elect on his Vision Statement for a ‘Presidency of Hope’, and assured him of India’s full support and cooperation during his Presidency. Prime Minister emphasized the importance reforming the multilateral system, including the United Nations organs, to reflect the current realities of the world and the aspirations of a vast majority of the world’s population.

Prime Minister and H.E. Abdulla Shahid also discussed the rapid growth in the India-Maldives bilateral relationship in recent years. Prime Minister expressed satisfaction that bilateral projects are progressing well despite the constraints of the COVID-19 pandemic. He emphasized the importance of Maldives as a key pillar of India’s Neighbourhood First policy and vision of SAGAR.