Press Releases
Dispatch of a Special Envoy of the Prime Minister for Inauguration Ceremony of the President of Maldives
From 17th to 18th November, Mr. Wataru Takeshita, a member of the House of Representative and the President of the Japan-Maldives Parliamentary Friendship League, visited the Republic of Maldives, as the Special Envoy of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, to attend the Presidential Inauguration Ceremony for H.E. Mr. Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, President of the Republic of Maldives.
1. On 17th, Mr. Takeshita attended the Presidential Inauguration Ceremony held at the national stadium in Male, the capital of Maldives, during which President Solih took the oath of office as new President and made his inauguration speech.
2. On 18th, Mr. Takeshita paid a courtesy call on President Solih to hand over the personal letter from Prime Minister Abe and to offer his congratulations on the inauguration of President Solih. In the courtesy call, Mr. Takeshita stated that Japan remained committed to assisting development of Maldives, and expressed Japan’s willingness to work together to realize a free and open Indo-Pacific. President Solih showed his appreciation for Mr. Takeshita’s attendance to the Presidential Inauguration Ceremony and for Japan’s assistance to date to Maldives. He also reaffirmed Maldives’ readiness to cooperate to realize a free and open Indo-Pacific.
3. Mr. Takeshita also had bilateral meetings with H.E. Mr. Sbdulla Shahid, Foreign Minister, and Honorable Mr. Qasim Ibrahim, Speaker of People’s Majis.
4. Moreover, Mr. Takeshita visited some of the sites relating to Japan’s ODA, including fire engines that will be provided to Maldives with Japan’s grant aid as well as a gym and a school building that were constructed with Japan’s grant aid.