MALE: The Secretary General of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) paid a farewell courtesy call on Maldivian Foreign Minister Iruthisham Adam at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Monday.

The foreign minister commended the Secretary General for his leadership and contributions to strengthening the regional framework. She reaffirmed the Maldives’ commitment to the SAARC Charter, stressing that stronger regional cooperation is essential for women’s empowerment, trade connectivity and tourism in South Asia.

She also reiterated that the Maldives remains ready to support efforts to fully revitalize the SAARC process.

The Secretary General expressed gratitude to the Government and people of the Maldives for their continued support throughout his tenure. He acknowledged the country’s proactive and constructive role in advancing SAARC’s objectives.

He also welcomed the recent call by the President of the Maldives to revitalize SAARC and his offer to contribute to efforts aimed at strengthening the regional organization.

The two sides exchanged views on the evolving regional cooperation landscape and stressed the importance of collective action to address shared challenges, including access to healthcare and pharmaceuticals, trade, socio-economic development and regional connectivity.

The foreign minister extended her best wishes to the Secretary General for his future endeavours.