President Gayoom visits Sri Lanka; India to renovate Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital (IGMH); India allows visa exemption for Maldivian medical tourists; India to supply oil to Maldives; Maldives is not for signing SOFA with the United States; Home Ministr
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    • Reports noted that President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom made three days official visit to Sri Lanka on January 21, 2014 on an invitation by President of Sri Lanka Mahinda Rajapaksa in early December. 1 During the visits three agreements were signed between the governments of Maldives and Sri Lanka The first agreement was regarding preventing transnational crime and strengthening cooperation between police forces in both countries. The second agreement was about strengthening cooperation regarding youth development and training. The third agreement was regarding strengthening cooperation between the two countries in sports. 2 President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom has said the government has decided to award a plot of land to the High Commission of Sri Lanka in the Maldives to build its chancery in Male'. Sri Lankan government has also decided to grant a land to construct a High Commission of Maldives in Colombo. 3

    In another development, according to reports, speaking during the inauguration of Maldives-India friendship week to mark the golden jubilee of relations between the two countries, High Commissioner Rajeev Shahare said that the renovation of Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital (IGMH) would begin soon. The state-owned hospital was gifted to the Maldives by the Indian government in 1995. 4

    Reports noted that Indian government has allowed a 90-day exemption on visa for Maldivian travelling to the country on medical purposes. The restriction on a 60-day gap between two entries has also been lifted. Medical visa holders would be no longer required to report to the Foreign Regional Registration Office (FRRO) if their visa is for less than 180 days. 5

    Reports noted that Managing Director of State Trading Organisation (STO) Adam Azim has said that an agreement has been reached with India’s Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals Limited regarding supplying oil to Maldives. 6

    According to reports, in June last year, a local online blog released scans of a document claiming to be a draft copy of a Status of Forces Agreement to be signed by Maldives and the United States. The agreement alleged to allow the U.S. to establish military bases in the Maldives. When Maldivian President was asked question regarding the possibility of signing the agreement, President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom said that Maldives would not pursue a State of Forces Agreement (SOFA) proposed by the US. United States has dismissed claims of seeking a permanent military base in the Maldives. Defence Minister Colonel (Rtd) Mohamed Nazim also said in an interview to Sun in April last year, “SOFA is an agreement that allows US military trainings to be conducted in different countries. It does not involve establishing a base. They have not proposed to establish a base, and the government has not decided on the SOFA agreement.” 7

    According to reports, International Human Rights NGO Amnesty International has called on the Maldives to stop plans to resume executions for the first time in 60 years. The statement follows an order signed by Home Minister Umar Naseer directing the Maldives Correctional Service to start making “all necessary arrangements” for the implementation of all death sentences through lethal injection. While Maldives legally retains the death penalty, it has not carried out an execution since 1954. There are currently 19 prisoners on death row. 8

    In other developments, according to reports, British High Commissioner to the Maldives John Rankin has paid a courtesy call on President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom. They discussed Maldives-UK bilateral relations and exchanged views on ways to further enhance cooperation between the two countries. 9

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