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

During the meeting, the First Lady expressed her gratitude to the UK government for its continued support to the Maldives, particularly in advancing economic growth and strengthening bilateral cooperation.

Minister Malhotra, in turn, thanked the First Lady for her active engagement and interest in areas of partnership with the FCDO.

Discussions focused on women’s empowerment, political and workplace leadership, preventing gender-based violence, education, and climate resilience.

Both sides highlighted the essential role of women in advocacy and community development.

The First Lady shared her experience in the civil service and her long-standing efforts to promote child welfare.

She also outlined the Government’s policies and President Dr Mohamed Muizzu’s initiatives to expand women’s leadership opportunities across sectors, including in Parliament and local governance.

Minister Malhotra shared perspectives from her work in supporting women’s advancement in various fields and emphasized the importance of fostering equality in leadership and public life.

She also discussed effective strategies for community awareness on gender-related issues.

The meeting concluded with a reaffirmation of the Maldives–UK commitment to continued cooperation and a shared resolve to further strengthen the longstanding partnership between the two nations.