New Delhi: Maldives Wednesday officially got its first resident US ambassador, Hugo Hue-Ho Yon, in what appears to be part of Washington’s push for greater influence in the Indo-Pacific region.
The development comes just a few months after Maldives reopened its embassy in Washington D.C. and the US reopened its embassy in Seychelles — following a 27-year absence — in the backdrop of growing competition with China for diplomatic clout in the Indian Ocean islands.
On Wednesday, Yon presented his credentials to Maldivian President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, who is seeking re-election in the island country’s upcoming general elections which will take place on 9 September.
The first U.S. Resident Ambassador to Maldives presents credentials to the President https://t.co/peUW1pa4oP pic.twitter.com/SJegus87qw
— The President's Office (@presidencymv) September 6, 2023
Following the ceremony of presentation of credentials, Solih and the US Ambassador discussed further strengthening of bilateral relations between the two countries.
Solih underscored that the reopening of the Maldivian embassy in Washington D.C. was “a step forward” in the Maldives’ foreign policy. According to a statement by the Maldivian government, Solih added that the move will foster stronger ties across “people-to-people connections, economic and trade collaborations, and cultural exchanges”.
In August this year, Yon took oath to become the first resident US Ambassador based in the Maldives. A resident ambassador comes with more permanence than a special ambassador or honorary ambassador — who is not posted in residence and travels across the world as a country’s specialist envoy in a particular field.
Yon is a career diplomat who previously served as senior adviser in the Office of the Under Secretary of Economic Growth, Energy and the Environment in the US Department of State. He has also served as deputy minister counsellor for economic affairs at the US Embassy in New Delhi.
Notably, his latest assignment comes a little over a month after the US designated 20 individuals and 29 companies based out of Maldives as operatives and facilitators for the terror outfits Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) and al-Qaeda.
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Washington-Male ties
The Maldives and the US established diplomatic relations in 1966.
However, it was only in 2020 that the US, under the Trump administration, announced that it will be setting up an embassy in the island country. Before that, the US maintained diplomatic relations with Male through its ambassador to Sri Lanka.
Then US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo made the announcement in October 2020 during a tour of Southeast Asia. “I am pleased to announce our plan to open an Embassy in Male. Since the establishment of our diplomatic ties in 1966, we’ve seen Maldives make great progress in supporting democratic institutions, and we are proud to partner with them on regional security issues,” Pompeo wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
I am pleased to announce our plan to open an Embassy in Male. Since the establishment of our diplomatic ties in 1966, we’ve seen Maldives make great progress in supporting democratic institutions, and we are proud to partner with them on regional security issues.
— Secretary Pompeo (@SecPompeo) October 28, 2020
Cut to June this year, when Maldivian Foreign Minister Abdulla Shahid embarked on an official trip to the US to discuss the reopening of embassies in each other’s countries. The discussions between him and his American counterpart Antony Blinken centred on issues such as promoting and strengthening democracy, economic growth, adapting to a changing climate, defence cooperation and more.
That same month, the Biden administration reopened its embassy in another neglected Indian Ocean state — Seychelles.
“Excited to announce that we have re-opened our embassy in Victoria, Seychelles, marking a return to a full-time diplomatic presence in the country. Together we can better address shared challenges and take advantage of mutually beneficial opportunities,” announced Blinken.
Excited to announce that we have re-opened our embassy in Victoria, Seychelles, marking a return to a full-time diplomatic presence in the country. Together we can better address shared challenges and take advantage of mutually beneficial opportunities.
— Secretary Antony Blinken (@SecBlinken) June 2, 2023
The forests of the island country served as a critical monitoring point for US forces tracking Soviet satellites during the height of the Cold War but Washington closed its embassy in Victoria in 1996.
(Edited by Amrtansh Arora)
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