Australia has announced that it will be opening its High Commission in the Maldives and invest $36.5 million over five years in the region in order to up the engagement in South Asia and the larger Indian Ocean region.
Australian foreign minister Marise Payne in a statement said, “Australia will open a High Commission in Malé to strengthen engagement with an important Indian Ocean neighbour. A permanent Australian diplomatic presence in the Maldives will build on the shared aspirations of Australia and Maldives for a stable, secure and resilient Indo-Pacific.”
Maldivian Foreign Minister Abdulla Shahid welcomed Australia’s decision and said the establishment of an Australian High Commission in the Maldives is an important step towards strengthening the bilateral relations between the two countries.
