Countries & Regions
Japan-Maldives Summit Meeting
On Tuesday, April 15, commencing at 6:45 p.m. for approximately 40 minutes, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe held a Summit Meeting with H.E. Mr. Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom, President of the Republic of Maldives, who is making a working visit to Japan upon invitation by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The overview of the meeting is as follows. Following the Summit Meeting the two leaders signed a joint statement (attached) (PDF)
entitled “For a new stage of cooperation based on over 40 years of friendship and trust,” and held a joint press announcement.
1. Opening statements
Prime Minister Abe welcomed the visit of President Yameen to Japan, the first official visit by a Maldivian president since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1967. Prime Minister Abe also stated that he wants to further develop bilateral relations, building upon this visit. President Yameen expressed his gratitude for the invitation, and said he was pleased to visit Japan, a traditional friend of the Maldives, as his first official trip outside the region. The two leaders shared the recognition that the mutual support extended at the time of the Great East Japan Earthquake and the Indian Ocean tsunami disaster solidified the bond between the two countries.
2. Terrestrial digital broadcasting
President Yameen announced that the Maldives decided to adopt the Integrated Services Digital Broadcasting-Terrestrial (ISDB-T) as its national system, and Prime Minister Abe welcomed the first adoption of the Japanese standards in South Asia.
3. Economic cooperation and economic relations
(1) Prime Minister Abe said Japan will continue to provide assistance focused on environmental and climate change measures and disaster reduction, and said he wants to cooperate further toward a concrete project regarding the Joint Crediting Mechanism.
(2) In response, President Yameen expressed his appreciation for Japan’s assistance, which has contributed significantly to the development of various sectors in the Maldives for many years. In addition, he said he hopes that Japan and the Maldives will cooperate in areas such as the project of maintenance and expansion of the Male International Airport.
4. Maritime cooperation
Prime Minister Abe said the Maldives is located at a strategic point on the sea lane of the Indian Ocean and he wants to cooperate toward realizing “Open and Stable Seas.” Prime Minister Abe also said he wants to continue to pursue exchanges in areas such as maritime security. Both leaders confirmed the importance of the freedom of navigation in accordance with the international law of the sea.
5. People-to-people exchanges
The two leaders confirmed the importance of technical cooperation, including Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteers, and cooperation in the areas of youth and sports. President Yameen said he is grateful for the provision of one hundred soccer balls by Japan Football Association and for the invitation for Maldives’s national soccer team coaches as part of “Sport for Tomorrow,” a program of international contribution via sports in the lead-up to the 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Tokyo. (Following the joint press announcement the two leaders exchanged the uniforms of their respective national soccer teams).
6. Regional affairs and cooperation in the international arena etc.
The two leaders decided to continue the bilateral cooperative relationship in the international arena. President Yameen praised Japan’s efforts to contribute to the peace and stability of the region and the world, and expressed his support for the policy of “Proactive Contribution to Peace.”