Embassy of The Maldives, Japan.

21 April 2008

The People’s Special Majlis (Constitutional Assembly) on Sunday adopted the chapter of the draft new constitution dealing with transitional arrangements to cover the period starting from the ratification of the new constitution through the swearing in of the new President to the election of the new Parliament.

According to the chapter, the President, the Cabinet, the Parliament and other personages elected or appointed under the current constitution shall remain in place until their successors are elected or appointed under the new constitution. The chapter stipulates that all such elections and appointments must take place within two years of the coming into being of the new constitution.

The chapter specifically states that the first Presidential election under the new constitution shall take place before 10th October 2008. The exact date for the election will be decided by the independent Interim Elections Commission.

This will be the first multiparty Presidential election in the history of the Maldives.

The new President will be sworn in on 11th November 2008. The first Parliamentary elections under the new constitution shall take place before 31st March 2009, with the new assembly holding its first session before 1st May the same year. Elections for all city, island and atoll councils shall be held before July 2009.

To ensure free and fair elections, the chapter establishes several independent bodies to operate during the transition phase.

An Interim Elections Commission will be created within 30 days of introducing the new constitution. To ensure its independence and impartiality as well as to build confidence in the electoral process, all registered political parties will propose members to the Commission who will be subject to endorsement by the Parliament. An Interim Judicial Service Commission will also be created within 45 days of introducing the new constitution. The Interim Supreme Court shall continue until the apex court proper is created.

Justice of the Interim Supreme Court will be proposed by the Interim Judicial Service Commission and endorsed by the Parliament. Members of the Interim Supreme Court will appoint the Chief Justice for the interim period from amongst themselves. All other justices, judges, and magistrates will remain in office for a period of two years from the date of the new constitution until they are approved according to the processes prescribed by the new constitution.

The chapter further provides for an Anti Corruption Commission within 60 days of the new constitution coming into being and a Prosecutor General, a Judicial Service Commission, and an Elections Commission within 60 days of the first meeting of the newly elected Parliament.

With the adoption of the chapter on the transition, the Special Majilis will now turn its attention to completing the final chapter on definitions (of the new constitution). This is expected to be completed shortly. Once adopted by the Constitutional Assembly in its entirety, the new constitution will then be sent to the President of the Maldives for ratification.

16th April 2008

The Government of Maldives has today signed a Memorandum of Understanding on Comprehensive Cooperation with the Government of the Republic of Turkey.

Under the MoU, the two countries will engage in greater coordination and information sharing in their bilateral, regional and international initiatives. The MoU also paves the way for increased cooperation between the Maldives and Turkey in a diverse range of fields including development cooperation, trade, tourism and the combating of terrorism.

His Excellency Mr. Abdullah Shahid, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Maldives, signed the MoU on behalf of the Government of Maldives while His Excellency Mr. Ali Babacan, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkey, signed the MoU on behalf of the Government of Turkey.

The MoU was signed at a special ceremony held in Ankara at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkey.

In the official talks held prior to the signing of the MoU, both countries agreed to have greater interaction in trade and tourism. Turkey also responded positively to a proposal by Minister Shahid for the conclusion of an Air Services Agreement between the two countries.

Minister Shahid paid a courtesy call on President Abdullah Gül of Turkey in the afternoon at the Presidential Palace in the Turkish capital Ankara.

13 April 2008

The People’s Special Majlis (constitutional assembly) today moved a huge step closer towards completing the Maldives’ new constitution. In a key moment for the Reform Agenda, the Special Majlis voted for the current constitution (1998) to be repealed upon enactment of the new constitution. The provision was passed by an overwhelming majority of members present at the morning session (68 out of 98 members voting in favour) of the People’s Special Majlis.

The vote brings to an end months of political haggling during which the Opposition claimed that since the new constitution would be an amended version of the 1998 constitution, the newly introduced two-term Presidental limit would apply retroactively.

By today’s vote, the Special Majlis confirmed that the amended version would replace the 1998 text as a new constitution. The vote clearly paved the way for President Gayoom to stand for elections expected to take place later this year.

In other important developments, the Special Majlis decided that within 30 days of the enactment of the new constitution, an Interim Elections Commission consisting of five members would be set-up by the People’s Majlis (the parliament). Under this important confidence-building measure designed to guarantee a free and fair election, all registered political parties would have the opportunity to send nominations for the Commission. The Commission will be responsible for all elections-related matters during the interim period.

The Special Majlis also decided on the establishment of an eight-member Judicial Services Commission for the interim period along with the establishment of an Anti Corruption Board within 60 days of the enactment of the new constitution. A Supreme Court is also to be set up within 45 days of entry into force of the new constitution. The new constitution devotes a full Chapter to independent bodies, namely Chapter 7, that seeks the establishment of the Human Rights Commission, the Judicial Services Commission, the Civil Service Commission, the Anti-Corruption Board, the Elections Commission, the Auditor General and the Prosecutor-General’s Office as constitutional bodies.

The Special Majlis also decided that all posts and bodies stipulated in the draft constitution, either to be appointed or elected, shall be instituted within two years of enactment of the new constitution. The provision also stipulates that those currently functioning in the posts and bodies shall continue their services (within the 2 year period) until formal institution of new members to the bodies and posts take place.

Among other important developments, the Special Majlis also held that the current People’s Majlis shall continue its term in office as the legislature of the Maldives until elections for the new People’s Majlis take place under the new constitution.

Today’s two sessions saw a high turnout by the Specilal Majlis members with 98 members attending the morning session and 100 members attending the afternoon session.

12 April 2008

The Permanent Representative of the Maldives to the United Nations, H. E. Mr. Ahmed Khaleel, addressing the “United Nations Open-ended Working Group on the Question of Equitable Representation on and Increase in the Membership of the Security Council and Other Matters Related to the Security Council” on the 10th of April 2008 has said that the time has come to break the impasse that the international community has had for more than a decade on the debate and advance the process from consultations to inter-governmental negotiations.

“My deligation concurs with the view that the time has come to advance the process from consultations to open, inclusive and transparent negotiations…”Mr Khaleel said. He also added that, given the divergence of views on the reforms, a transitional approach with a mandatory review clause would be the most logical course of action to follow at this time. He stressed that, for the reform efforts to be successful, the international community needs to exercise maximum flexibility and take bold and concrete decisions.

The Maldives has expressed support to the enlargement of the membership of the Security Council, both in the permanent and non-permanent categories.

It has openly backed Japan and India to become permanent members of the Council.

Tokyo. Friday 4th April 2008

The Maldives collected 3 first prizes at the Dive and Travel Award 2008 ceremony at the Marine Diving Fair which opened in the Sunshine City Convention Centre in Tokyo, Japan, today. The Marine Diving Fair is Asia’s largest scuba diving and beach resort exhibition. The Fair which enters into its 16th year in 2008 was inaugrated by Mr. Yohei Kono, Chairman of the Marine Diving Fair Organisation and Speaker of the House of Representatives of the Japanese Parliament.

The 1st prizes gained by the Maldives are the Best Diving Area Overseas, the Best Resort Area Overseas and the Best Dreaming Area. In addtion to the prizes in the desetination category, individual resorts and safaris won may other prizes reflecting the popularity of the Maldives resorts among the Japanese travellers. The Dive and Travel Awards of the Marine Art Centre are based on readers’ choice. The Centre’s most popular magainze, the Marine Diving, is celebrating the 40th year of its publication.

The destination prizes were received by the Maldives Ambassador to Japan, H. E. Mr. Abdul Hameed Zakariyya, the Maldives Deputy Minister of Tourism and Civil Aviation, Dr. Abdulla Mausoom and by the Marketing Executive of the Maldives Tourism Promotion Board, Mr. Mohamed Maleeh Jamal.

The Marine Diving Fair is organised by the Marine Art Centre Co. Ltd. of Japan. Last year, the Fair attracted nearly 50,000 visitors.

Japan is the largest tourism market in Asia for the Maldives. The Maldives received 41,121 Japanese tourists in 2007 which account for 6.1 per cent of the share of total tourist arrivals in the Maldives.

Tokyo, 14th March 2008

The Maldives Ambassador to Japan, H. E. Mr. Abdul Hameed Zakariyya, today signed a contract with Wakachiku Construction Co. Ltd. of Japan for the construction of a second girls’ secondary school in Male’, the capital of the Maldives, after the company emerged successful in the bid for the project.

The Japanese Yen 607,300,000 project is being funded by the Government of Japan under its grant assistance. Mr. Yojiro Watanabe, Director and Executive Officer of Wakachiku Construction Co. Ltd., signed the contract for and on behalf of the Company. According to the contract, the Contractor shall complete the project within 12 months of the notice of commencement of works issued by the Consultant for the project, Mohri Architect and Associates, Inc., Japan.

Both, Wakachiku Construction Co. Ltd. and Mohri Architect and Associates, Inc. have significiant previous experience with projects in the Maldives. Japan has been assisting the Maldives generously since the late 70s in the development of educational infrastructure, particularly in the construction of schools, apart from other programmes of assistance. Japan has assisted the Maldives in the construction of 15 community schools in the islands and 3 primary schools in the capital Male’.

The Maldives today has achieved a literacy rate of 98% and is hoping to convert the Maldives College of Higher Education to a university during the course of the year as announced by President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom in his opening address to the People’s Majlis (the Parliament) on 28th February 2008.

Of the Maldives 300,00 population, nearly one third are students.