EU-Maldives: Joint Press release on the First Partnership Dialogue

The First Maldives - European Union Partnership Dialogue was hosted by the Maldives on 9 February 2026, building on the Senior Officials’ Meetings convened annually since 2020. The Dialogue marked a significant milestone in Maldives - EU relations, reflecting the evolution of the bilateral framework following the Maldives signing the Samoa Agreement on 1 July 2024 and the subsequent formalization of the engagement as the Maldives - EU Partnership Dialogue.

The high-level engagement provided an opportunity for the Maldives and the EU to reaffirm their shared commitment to strengthen cooperation across areas of mutual interest, including democratic governance, human rights, climate action, maritime and regional security, trade, fisheries, and people-to-people exchanges.

The EU and the Maldives emphasized the importance of upholding democratic values and fundamental rights, including freedom of expression and opinion, and ensuring space for a vibrant civil society.

Both sides exchanged views on recent political, economic, and social developments in the Maldives and the EU, with a particular focus on infrastructure development, sound financial management and fight against corruption, digital transformation, education, and economic diversification. The Maldives expressed appreciation for the EU’s support in strengthening democratic processes, particularly through the recommendations of the EU Election Observation Follow-up Missions, which concluded their most recent visit to the Maldives in November 2025. The EU reaffirmed commitment to continue support in these areas in the years ahead.

The EU encouraged the Maldives to comply to the commitments taken as a signatory of ICCPR.

The Maldives acknowledged the EU’s practical support in strengthening capacity through training and regional maritime initiatives, including the CRIMARIO programme, which helps safeguard key maritime routes. Building on security as a central pillar of the dialogue, the Maldives and the EU identified practical avenues to deepen and expand security cooperation in the upcoming years.

Economic and trade talks reflected on the potential to expand bilateral trade, improve market access for Maldivian fish products within the EU. The two sides also shared perspectives on tariff barriers and ongoing reforms designed to attract investment and support sustainable, long-term growth.

The dialogue also addressed the expansion of EU support to the Maldives in the areas of climate resilience, biodiversity conservation, and community-led environmental initiatives, in line with the Maldives’ national priorities. In this context, the both sides expressed commitment to finalize the signing of the proposed financing agreement for the “Community-based Mangrove Protection and Rehabilitation in the Maldives” project under the Annual Action Programme (AAP 2025) for the Maldives in the coming months. The agreement is expected to allocate an additional EUR 4 million towards mangrove conservation efforts in the Maldives.

The EU also highlighted its offer of Earth Observation data from its Copernicus satellite system and informed of new programmes to counter the risks posed by the exploitation of technology by terrorist and criminal groups, and prevent violent extremism in the digital space. The EU also reaffirmed its continued engagement under the Global Gateway Strategy to foster sustainable investments.

The Maldives further called for its inclusion among countries exempt from Schengen visas.

The EU and the Maldives discussed developments shaping the Indo-Pacific region and reaffirmed their commitment to effective multilateralism and the rules-based international order with the UN at its core.

The Maldives and the EU concluded the talks by emphasizing the shared commitment to transforming discussions into tangible outcomes and enhancing the partnership, built on common values, mutual respect, and aligned priorities. Discussions also took place on the prospect of hosting the second Maldives–EU Partnership Dialogue in Brussels in 2027.

The First Partnership Dialogue between the Maldives and EU was co-chaired by Fathimath Inaya, Foreign Secretary, and Paola Pampaloni, Deputy Managing Director for Asia and Pacific at the European External Action Service.