2-Feb-2020: After over three years, Maldives rejoins Commonwealth

Maldivian President Mohamed Nasheed’s controversial ouster in 2012 and the country’s lack of progress in resolving the political crisis during former President Abdulla Yameen’s presidency, whose authoritarian slant sparked concern domestically and internationally had seen the Commonwealth group warning Maldives. In 2016, the Maldives pulled out of the Commonwealth.

President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih’s victory in the 2018 presidential elections and efforts to restore democracy, followed by the letter to the Commonwealth, requesting to re-join the bloc have culminated in the Maldives rejoining the bloc.

The Maldives re-joined the Commonwealth, more than three years after the Indian Ocean island nation quit amid mounting criticism of its human rights. Maldives has been formally reinstated into the Commonwealth as its 54th member state.

The Government of India has welcomed the development. India has vowed to work closely with Maldives on shared Commonwealth goals like development, democracy and peace.