foreign policy of maldives

8/7/2019 Foreign Policy of Maldives

1/19

Aneh Dhivehi RaajjeTHE STRATEGIC ACTION PLAN

National Framework for Development 2009 - 2013

The Government of Maldives

73 00 E70 00 E 71 00 E 72 00 E 74 00 E 75 00 E 76 00 E

73 00 E70 00 E 71 00 E 72 00 E 74 00 E 75 00 E 76 00 E

200N

100S

000

100N

3

00N

400N

500N

600N

700N

800N

200N

100S

000

100N

300

N

400N

500N

600N

700N

800N

AnehDhivehiRaajje


2/19

73 00 E70 00 E 71 00 E 72 00 E 74 00 E 75 00 E 76 00 E

73 00 E70 00 E 71 00 E 72 00 E 74 00 E 75 00 E 76 00 E

200N

100S

000

100N

3

00N

400N

500N

600N

700N

800N

200N

100S

000

100N

300

N

400N

500N

600N

700N

800N

AnehDhivehiRaajje


3/19

Foreword

The Strategic Action Plan 2009-2013 will sere as the principal planning document o the goernment

in the deliery o the goernments pledges and programmes outlined in the MDP Alliance Maniesto.

Through an extensie process o citizen consultation during the Presidential campaign, the party

has ormulated fe key pledges that we beliee would lead to greater progress and prosperity or all

Maldiians. These include: a) deeloping a nationwide transport network that would allow or people

and commerce to moe without hindrance throughout the whole country; b) proiding aordable

housing to all citizens; c) ensuring reasonable and aordable healthcare to all citizens; d) bringing

down the costs o the most basic good and serices; and e) eliminating the rampant trafc and abuse o

narcotic drugs currently prealent in the country.

In our quest or a more prosperous Maldies, we remain unyieldingly committed to the principles

o liberal democracy. We also beliee that the ull potential o our people may only be realized by

relinquishing to citizens greater control oer their own destinies. It is these two basic principals that

animate our desire to hae a small goernment that places greater emphasis on the marketplace and a

more decentralised system o goernance. Our policies are business-riendly and we hae launched an

ambitious public-priate partnership programme that we are confdent would be the engine o economic

growth and deelopment in the country. The goernment would, neertheless, hae an eer-greater role

than beore in guaranteeing and ensuring that the basic o public goods and social protection measures

are proided to all Maldiians unequiocally. Similarly, our decentralisation policy has created seen

proinces that would gie citizens greater control in the goernance o their indiidual communities

and would also yield greater economies o scale.

I extend my gratitude or the hard work and collectie eort o the United Nations Deelopment Program

(UNDP), the Presidents Ofce, and the Department o National Planning in compiling this ramework.

I also note my appreciation or the cooperation o goernment ministries, state institutions, ciil society

and priate sector representaties who patiently put in long hours to work with the team during the

alidation workshop to fnalize this Action Plan.

Male 11 Noember 2009

Mohamed Nasheed

President


4/19

182 Aneh Dhivehiraajje - The Strategic Action Plan 2009 - 2013

GOOD

GOvERNANCE

Foreign Policy

i. Backgun

The oreign policy o the new goernment is ounded on the

principles o multilateralism enshrined in the UN Charter, and

espouses the proisions laid down in the Conentions and

Treaties to which it is party to, in the spirit o adancing peace

and security. The Maldies ollows a policy o international

engagement with its oreign partners to achiee economic and

enironmental security. As a small and ulnerable state, the

Maldies also ocuses on strengthening diplomatic relations

in aim o saeguarding its soereignty and independence.

As a ounder member o SAARC, the Maldies has ocused on

strengthening regional cooperation and maintaining regional

stability. The Maldies is also a member o the Commonwealth

through which it has actiely worked to strengthen its

commitment to human rights and democracy. At the same

time, the Maldies is also a member o the Organisation o

the Islamic Conerence.

Since the election o the new Goernment, the direction o

the oreign policy o the Maldies has put greater emphasis

on commercial diplomacy with a iew to promoting public-

priate partnerships and encouraging oreign direct inestment

into the country. This proposition is guided by the premise o

a market-based approach to national deelopment, wherein

oreign policy seres a ital role in increasing trade and

inestment, rather than seeking aid and donor handouts.

More importantly, the transition to a liberal democratic

state has opened up urther opportunities to pursue a more

proactie and progressie oreign policy. As a result, or the

frst time, Maldies is pursuing membership o the UN Human

Rights Council, the UN Economic and Social Council and the

UN Security Council.

Taking into account that oreign policy is an extension o,

and support, domestic policy priorities, key areas o ocus

or the new Goernment are: democratic consolidation and

promotion o human rights; climate justice and pursuit o a

carbon-ree uture; international donor support or economic

reorm and deelopment; improed consular serices; with

ForeiGN PoLiCy


5/19

183Aneh Dhivehiraajje - The Strategic Action Plan 2009 - 2013

the objectie o ulflling all obligations under releant

international treaties and conentions.

As a deeloping island nation, the Maldies recognizes the

importance o establishing and sustaining sound diplomatic

relations, through representations in regional countries

and other strategic locations globally. The objectie o the

goernment has been to maintain a small and eectie

oreign serice that is cost-eectie and mission-oriented,

and mobilize scarce resources to the economic and social

deelopment o the Maldies. Moreoer, emphasis has

been gien to the promotion o international and regional

cooperation through the goodwill o our ambassadors and

consular representations.

ii. Cnstants

an mgng

ssus The Ministry is aced with signifcant fnancial

constraints that negatiely impact its actual output.

Simultaneously, the oer-arching work o the Ministry

results in intangible outcomes. As such, there is a

need to mobilize resources to enable the Ministry

to undertake a more serious and assertie role in the

international arena.

There is an urgent need to enhance human and

technical capacity, with a iew to increasing the

number o trained personnel and experts in a number

o specialist felds including law, climate change,

human rights, policy analysis, and commercial

diplomacy.

There is a need or a monitoring and ealuation

mechanism to measure the eectieness o MFAs

goals and strategies ia academic institutions acting as

think tanks. The lack o independent research institutes

conducting oreign policy analysis also creates major

shortcomings in objectie policy analysis.


6/19


GOOD

GOvERNANCE

Foreign Policy

Limited standardization o operational protocol o

the Ministry and Missions has led to the wasteul

utilization o the resources.

Ministry is not being able to meet the public iew

and expectations o the Consular Serices aailable,

thereore more public awareness is needed about the

types and limitations o the serices oered by the

Ministry and its missions abroad.

The Maldies is set to graduate rom LDC status by

the end 2010. While LDC graduation presents, among

others, a window o opportunity to attract more

inestments, it also poses the challenge o increased

economic ulnerability due to loss o preerential

trading terms and Oerseas Deelopment Assistance

(ODA).

iii. Gals f th

Sct

A result-oriented international role has to be supported by

appropriate principles, strategies and priorities. In the years

leading to 2013, the Ministry will ocus on goals and strategic

objecties that will prepare the Foreign Serice to efciently

and eectiely address the challenges o the 21st Century.

1. Establishment o Maldies International Foundation

as an adocacy group to strengthen Maldies interests

internationally.

2. Making human rights, democracy, climate change key

pillars o our oreign policy

3. Promote a proactie oreign policy with economic

with commercial diplomacy as its main ocus

4. Securing a non-permanent seat in the UNSC or

2018-2019 Session, Human Rights Council, and

ECOSOC.


7/19


5. Saeguarding the Security o the Maldies through

diplomacy and international engagement

6. Mobilize deelopment assistance or sustainable

socio-economic deelopment o the country and

ensure smooth transition o the country to a middle-

income country by 2011

iV. K SctPlcs

Policy Manifesto

linkage

Other

directives

Promote a proactie oreign policy

with economic and commercial

diplomacy as its main ocus

P1,9, 10

Saeguarding the Security o the

Maldies through diplomacy and

international engagement

P 2, 5, 8

Strengthen relationship with our

deelopment partners and acilitate

easier people to people contact

P 3, 5

Mobilize deelopment assistance

or sustainable socio-economic

deelopment o the country

P 10

Strengthen the implementation

and reporting mechanisms o the

conentions and treaties

P 4, 7

Strengthen the institutional capacity

o the Ministry and deelop a

Foreign Serice Cadre


8/19


GOOD

GOvERNANCE

Foreign Policy

V. insttutnal

Famk

Lead Agency for Sector:

Ministry o Foreign Aairs and Maldiian Missions Abroad

Stakeholder Ministries and Sectors:

The Ministry o Foreign Aairs coordinates with all line

Ministries, most signifcantly with the Ministry o National

Deense and Security, Ministry o Home Aairs, Ministry o

Economic Deelopment, Ministry o Finance and Treasury.

In addition, the Ministry o Foreign Aairs coordinates with

the United Nations Resident Coordinators Ofce in the

Maldies.

Regulating Body:

The Attorney-Generals Ofce plays an adisory role wherein

which it counsels the Goernment on the implication o

actiities attributing to the Maldies oreign policy. The

Peoples Majlis is the central legislatie body that approes

laws and regulations related to international agreements,

treaties and conentions to which the Maldies are party to.

Vi. LgalFamk

The Ministry o Foreign Aairs is currently in the fnal drating

stages o the Foreign Serice Bill, which once passed in

Parliament, will sere to protect oreign policy interests and

proide the basis or the proessionalization o the Maldies

Foreign Serice.


9/19


Vii. Css-

Cuttng Thmsan Pgamms

lvant t th

sct

Human Rights: the Foreign Serice has been sustaining

and promoting human rights issues in the Maldies

through collaboration with international organizations

and national leel actors.

Climate Change Adaptation: the Foreign Serice has

a ital role to sere in highlighting the challenge o

climate change, and adocating the concerns o Small

Island deeloping states and climate ulnerable states

at international ora.

Public-Private partnership: with the current shit

in ocus to commercial diplomacy in the Maldies

oreign policy, the Foreign Serice has an important

role to sere in encouraging oreign direct inestment

into the Maldies to alleiate dependency on oreign

aid.


10/19


GOOD

GOvERNANCE

Foreign Policy

S

ectorPolicies

20

09

2010

2011

2012

2013

Implementing/

stakeholderagencies

Policy1:Promoteaproactivefore

ignpolicywitheconomicandcom

mercialdiplomacyasitsmainfoc

us

EstablishanEconomicAairsDivisionwithintheMinistryto

coordinatepromotionotradeand

investment

MoFA

Initiatedialoguewithpartnerstoco

ncludeprospectivetrade

andinvestmentagreements

MoFA

Holddialoguewithpartnerstogain

increasedaccessto

marketsorMaldivianproducts

MoFA,MED,MNCCI

ParticipateinInvestmentandEcono

micForums

MoFA,MED,MNCCI

Hostvisitsbyprospectivebusinessandtradedelegations

MoFA,MED

Conductabackgroundstudyontheeistingandpotential

newopportunitiesorMaldivesparticipationininternational

tradeairs

MoFA,MED,MNCCI

Viii.interventonL

st


11/19


S

ectorPolicies

20

09

2010

2011

2012

2013

Implementing/

stakeholderagencies

Holdregularconsultationswiththe

localbusinesscommunity

withaviewtostrengthentradepromotionservicesoeredby

theForeignService

MoFA,MED,MNCCI

BecomepartytoOPIC(TheOverseasPrivateInvestment

Corporation)

MoFA,MEDI

Concludeaworkingpaperonthep

rospectivecreditacilities

availableorMaldivianbusinessco

mmunity

MoFA,MMA,MED

Holddialoguewithpartnerstogain

accesstokeycredit

acilitiesorinvestorsinMaldives

MoFA,MoFT

Undertakevisitstostrengthencoop

erationwithInternational

FinancialInstitutions

MoFA,MoFT,MMA

Reviewandre-aligntheworkoMaldivianmissions

accreditedtooreigncountriestopromotetradeand

investment

MoFA

Makeinormationonbusinessopportunitiesreadilyavailable

atallmissionsabroad

MoFA


12/19


GOOD

GOvERNANCE

Foreign Policy

S

ectorPolicies

20

09

2010

2011

2012

2013

Implementing/

stakeholderagencies

SubmitaresolutiontoECOSOCcallingtheCDPtomakea

reviewonmakingtheSIDScategor

ymoreeectiveinterms

oaidreceived

MoFA

Policy2:SafeguardingthesecurityoftheMaldivesthroughdiplomac

yandinternationalengagement

HostaconerenceoncounterterrorismintheMaldives

MoFA,MPS,MNDF

ParticipateinInternationalConerencesoncombating

terrorism

MoFA,MPS,MNDF

HostaConerenceintheMaldivesonClimateChange

ocusingonthemostvulnerableco

untries

MoFA,MHTE

EngageindialoguewithNeighboringcountriestoincrease

saetyinMaldivianWaters

MoFA,MNDF,MHTE

CampaigntosecureaseatintheUNHumanRightsCouncil

2010-2013

MoFA


13/19


S

ectorPolicies

20

09

2010

2011

2012

2013

Implementing/

stakeholderagencies

HoldtheSAARCSummitinMaldiv

esin2011

MoFA,Allkey

Stakeholders

HoldBriengSessionswiththeline

Ministriesrelatedto

SAARCactivities

AlltheLineMinistries

FacilitatetohostkeySAARCMeetingsintheMaldives

MoFA

StudyandanalyzeMaldivesentryintootherregional

organizations

MoFA

FacilitateMaldivesmembershiptotheIndianOceanTuna

Commission

MoFA,MFishAgri

CampaigntosecureaseatinUNEconomicandSocial

Council200-2013

MoFA

CampaigntosecureaseatinUNSecurityCouncil2019-2020

MoFA


14/19


GOOD

GOvERNANCE

Foreign Policy

S

ectorPolicies

20

09

2010

2011

2012

2013

Implementing/

stakeholderagencies

Policy3:Strengthenrelationshipw

ithourdevelopmentpartnersandfacilitateeasierpeopletopeoplecontact

MoFA

Holdregularconsultationorumsto

briethegeneralpublic

andthemembersothePeoplesM

ajlis

MoFA,Parliament,NG

Os

UploadvisainormationonMFAw

ebsiteandprepareleafets

onvisainormation

MoFA

OpenanEmbassyinWashingtonD

.C

.

MoFA

OpenanEmbassyinMoscow

MoFA

Sensitizemediapersonnelonoreignpolicy

MoFA,Media

Identiykeycountriestorequestorvisawaiver

MoFA

Signvisawaiveragreementswithid

entiedcountries

MoFA


15/19


S

ectorPolicies

20

09

2010

2011

2012

2013

Implementing/

stakeholderagencies

Initiatedialoguewithstrategicpartnerstoestablishdiplomatic

representationintheMaldives

MoFA

Coordinateallocationolandtooreignmissionsinthe

Maldives

MoFA

Replaceoreignnationalsappointedtothediplomaticpostsin

theMaldivianmissionsabroadbylocalcarrierForeignService

Ocers

MoFA

Facilitatetheimplementationothe

eistingagreementsand

signnewcooperationagreementsintheareaoEducation,

Culture,SportsandScienceandTechnology

MoFA,MOE,MTAC,

MHRS,MCA

Workcloselywithregionalpartnersandneighboring

countriestocombatdrugtracking

.

MoFA,MNDF,MHA

EstablishMaldivesInternationalFoundation

MoFA,


16/19


GOOD

GOvERNANCE

Foreign Policy

S

ectorPolicies

20

09

2010

2011

2012

2013

Implementing/

stakeholderagencies

Policy4:Mobilizedevelopmentassistanceforsustainablesocio-econ

omicdevelopmentofthecountry(Summarizingpolicy10)

HoldaconerenceinMaldivesonLDCgraduationorSIDS

MoFA,MED,MoFT

DevelopaLDCSmoothTransitionStrategy

MoFA,MED,MoFT,

MFishAgri

Undertakedonorsensitizationmiss

ionstokeydonor

countries

MoFA

Hostvisits/delegationsromdonoragencies/countriesto

urtherstrengthenpartnerships

MoFA

OrganizeandconvenetheMaldive

sPartnershipForum

MoFA

IncludeNGOsindonorconerence

s

MoFA

BecomeasignatorytoParisDeclarationonAidEectiveness


17/19


S

ectorPolicies

20

09

2010

2011

2012

2013

Implementing/

stakeholderagencies

Policy5:Strengthentheimplementationandreportingmechanismso

ftheconventionsandtreaties(Su

mmarizingpolicies4,7)

CompileandsubmitregulartreatyreportunderICCPR

x

x

x

x

x

MoFA

Engagewithkeystakeholdersandacilitatenecessary

activitiestoidentiycontinentalshe

lotheMaldivesunder

theConventionotheLawotheSeaandsubmitthereportto

theUN.

MoFA,MFishAgri,MN

DF

Developamechanismtocomplian

cewiththeMaldives

humanrightsobligations

x

MoFA,MHRC

Continueconsultationwithkeygov

ernmentagencies,

StandingCommitteeandcivilsocie

tyonthestatuso

implementationothetreatyobliga

tionsandpreparationo

reports.

x

x

x

x

x

MoFA,MHRC,NGOs

Toaccededtoallconventionsrelatedtoorganizedcrime

x

MoFA,MNDF,MHA


18/19


GOOD

GOvERNANCE

Foreign Policy

S

ectorPolicies

20

09

2010

2011

2012

2013

Implementing/

stakeholderagencies

Policy6:Strengthentheinstitution

alcapacityoftheMinistryanddevelopaForeignServiceCadre

Developtheoreignserviceact

MoFA

Providespecicskillsdevelopment

training(commercial

diplomacy,policyanalysisetc)ortheSta

MoFA

EstablishHRtrainingprogramandFosteraknowledge-based

workorganization

MoFA

Establishingkeyannualtargets

MoFA

ReviewandrevisetheallowancepackageoeredtoForeign

ServiceOcials

MoFA


19/19

S

ectorPolicies

20

09

2010

2011

2012

2013

Implementing/

stakeholderagencies

EstablishastandardoperationalprotocolortheMinistryand

missionsabroad

MoFA

UndertakeanassessmentotheMinistryscurrentInormation

andCommunicationTechnologyan

dImproveICTwhere

necessary

MoFA

foreign policy of maldives

Documents