New Delhi: After U.K. left the European Union, Maldives rejoined the Commonwealth on Sunday. This has now brought the total number of nations in the global organisation to 54.
The island nation’s rejoining came just over an hour after the United Kingdom left the European Union following 47 years of membership.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated Maldiveson re-admission to the Commonwealth.
PM Modi tweeted, “I heartily congratulate President @ibusolih, Speaker @MohamedNasheed and the people of The Maldives on readmission to the @commonwealthsec.”
“We warmly welcome The Maldives in the Commonwealth and look forward to The Maldives playing a larger role in the comity of nations and realising the full potential as well as aspirations of its people,” he said.
We warmly welcome The Maldives in the Commonwealth and look forward to The Maldives playing a larger role in the comity of nations and realising the full potential as well as aspirations of its people.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) February 1, 2020
Maldives had quit the Commonwealth in October 2016 after being threatened with suspension over its human rights record and lack of progress on democratic reform. President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih wrote in December 2018 to Commonwealth Secretary-General Patricia Scotland requesting to rejoin the global organisation.
“The reform process underway in Maldives aligns with the values and principles of the Commonwealth and we encourage the nation to continue on this path,” said Baroness Scotland, as she welcomed the country and its people back to the fold.
