Seychelles Foreign Minister Makes Historic First Official Visit to the Maldives
VICTORIA, Seychelles — Foreign Affairs Minister Barry Faure arrived in the Maldives on an official visit at the invitation of Maldivian Foreign Affairs Minister Iruthisham Adam, marking the first-ever official visit to the Maldives by a Foreign Minister of the Republic of Seychelles and opening a new chapter in relations between the two Indian Ocean small island developing states. Minister Faure was received at Velana International Airport by Foreign Secretary Fathimath Inaya and senior officials of the Maldivian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The visit signals a deepening of bilateral engagement between two nations that share a common identity as small island developing states facing similar challenges in climate resilience, ocean governance, and sustainable development.
The historic nature of the visit reflects the strategic importance both governments attach to strengthening intra-Indian Ocean cooperation at a time when small island developing states face growing external pressures ranging from climate change and sea level rise to the geopolitical competition playing out across the wider Indo-Pacific region. For Seychelles, building stronger bilateral ties with the Maldives opens pathways for coordination on shared priorities within multilateral forums including the United Nations, the Commonwealth, and the Indian Ocean Rim Association. Both nations occupy critical positions within the Indian Ocean and share an existential stake in the outcomes of global climate negotiations.
During the visit, Minister Faure is scheduled to meet with Foreign Minister Iruthisham Adam to discuss further strengthening Seychelles-Maldives relations, including cooperation at both the bilateral and multilateral levels on issues of mutual interest, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Diaspora. The visit reflects the close and friendly relations between the two countries and reaffirms the shared commitment of both governments to further strengthening cooperation, particularly as fellow small island developing states. Specific areas of cooperation are expected to include ocean governance, climate adaptation, tourism, fisheries management, and coordination on international advocacy for small island developing state interests.
The Maldives and Seychelles are among the world’s most climate-vulnerable nations, with both archipelagos facing the existential threat of sea level rise driven by global warming. Their shared vulnerability provides a natural foundation for diplomatic solidarity and coordinated advocacy within the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and other multilateral processes. Both nations have been vocal advocates for ambitious climate action and for the provision of adequate climate finance to small island developing states, positions that align naturally with Seychelles’ recent advocacy at the Africa Forward Summit in Nairobi.
The visit comes as Seychelles pursues an active foreign policy agenda characterised by high-level bilateral engagement across multiple regions, from Africa to the wider Indian Ocean community. The decision to prioritise a first-ever ministerial visit to the Maldives reflects a deliberate effort to deepen ties with fellow small island developing states that share Seychelles’ strategic interests and developmental challenges. Building a stronger network of like-minded partners within the Indian Ocean region is central to Seychelles’ multilateral strategy.
The two ministers are expected to agree on a framework for regular diplomatic consultation that will give institutional continuity to the renewed bilateral relationship.
