President Mohamed Nasheed has returned to Male’ after concluding his official visit to India.
President Nasheed made the visit on an invitation from South Asia Centre for Policy Studies (SACEPS) to attend the World Forum on Recreating South Asia: Democracy, Social Justice and Sustainable Development held in New Delhi, India.
The President addressed the opening session of the conference on 24 February.
In his address, he said the President reiterated the government’s commitment to promote democracy and economic freedom to ensure sustainable development in the Maldives.
The President said “It is only a democracy, and a liberal capitalist system, which can deliver broad-based sustainable growth and development.”
He said liberal democracy, economic freedom with a strong social safety net were fundamental prerequisites for the development of any country, and said this was the policy that the Maldivian government was following.
Apart from attending the conference, the President also met with Indian Prime Minister Manmoham Singh, External Affairs Minister S. M. Krishna, Chairperson the ruling United Progressive Alliance Sonia Gandhi, Minister of State for Environment Jairam Ramesh and other senior officials of the Indian government.
Meeting the Indian press on Friday, President Nasheed said his visit to India was a success and he has had fruitful and constructive dialogue with the Indian leadership and the government.
He told the Indian press that discussions at the meeting with the Indian government centered around greater economic cooperation and connectivity within the Indian Ocean mainly through a ferry system.
Discussions were also held on making South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) more effective through the empowerment of the SAARC Secretariat, and the rise of pro-democracy movements in the Middle East.
Before returning to Male’, early this morning, the President made a stopover in Sri Lanka yesterday.
During his stopover, the President called on Sri Lankan Mahinda Rajapaksa yesterday to discuss the relations between the Maldives and Sri Lanka, situation in the Middle East, and update him on the current political situation in the Maldives.