Seema Malhotra MP, the United Kingdom’s Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State in the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), paid a courtesy call on First Lady Sajidha Mohamed on Sunday morning at Mulee’aage.

The meeting focused on several areas of mutual interest, including women’s empowerment, women’s participation in politics and the workforce, efforts to address gender-based violence, education, and climate resilience. The First Lady spoke about her experience in the civil service and her long-standing involvement in promoting children’s welfare. She also outlined Government initiatives aimed at enhancing opportunities for women, including measures introduced by President Dr Mohamed Muizzu.

In addition, the First Lady noted the longstanding cooperation between the Maldives and the United Kingdom and acknowledged the UK’s continued assistance, particularly in supporting economic development. Minister Malhotra expressed appreciation for the First Lady’s engagement and interest in ongoing areas of collaboration with the FCDO.

Minister Malhotra also shared insights from her work on women’s advancement across different sectors and discussed approaches to improving community awareness on gender-related issues.

Both sides emphasised the importance of continued cooperation and reaffirmed their interest in further strengthening Maldives-UK relations.