Doha – Maldivian president Mohamed Muizzu has requested Maldivian parliamentary approval to appoint Ahmed Sareer, the current Maldivian ambassador to Saudi Arabia, as the non-resident ambassador of Maldives to Morocco, according to a presidential letter read during Monday’s Maldivian parliamentary sitting.
The matter has been forwarded to the Maldivian foreign relations committee for review. Sareer brings extensive experience in foreign relations, having previously served as the permanent representative of the Maldives to the United Nations and as ambassador to various countries.
The Maldivian parliament recently approved his appointment as non-residential ambassador to Kuwait and Egypt, as well as permanent representative to the Organization of Islamic Cooperation.
This development comes just weeks after high-level discussions between the two countries in late January, when Moroccan ambassador Mohamed Maliki visited Malé for talks with senior Maldivian officials.
During his two-day visit, Maliki met with Maldivian foreign minister Abdulla Khaleel, Maldivian Islamic affairs minister Mohammed Shaheem Ali Saeed, and Maldivian transport minister Mohamed Ameen.
The January meetings focused on strengthening bilateral cooperation across multiple sectors, including tourism, air transport, Islamic affairs, fisheries, and sustainable development. Maldivian ministers expressed interest in benefiting from Morocco’s expertise in these areas.
Diplomatic relations between Morocco and the Maldives were formally established on February 4, 1988, though historical connections date back to the 12th century when, according to historical accounts, Moroccan traveler Al Hafiz Abu Al-Barakat Yousouf Al Barbari introduced Islam to the Maldives.
The bilateral relationship saw formative advancement in November 2019 when then-Maldivian foreign minister Abdulla Shahid visited Morocco.
During this visit, four key agreements were signed, including a visa waiver agreement that took effect on January 31, 2020.
Other agreements included cooperation on Islamic affairs, allowing Maldivian imams to receive training at Morocco’s Mohammed VI Institute, and the establishment of political consultations between the countries’ foreign ministries.
Prior to 2019, diplomatic exchanges between the countries were limited. In September 2020, Ahmed Nashid was appointed as the first honorary consul of Morocco in the Maldives, and in January 2022, Morocco approved the appointment of Asim Ahmed as the Maldives’ ambassador to Morocco with residence in Geneva.
On July 18, 2022, the headquarters of the honorary consulate of Morocco to the Maldives was officially inaugurated by Moroccan ambassador Mohamed Maliki together with the Maldivian foreign secretary Ahmed Latheef.
Despite their diplomatic relationship spanning over three decades, trade between the two countries remains minimal due to geographical distance and the Maldives’ tourism-focused economy.
