High Commission of the Maldives, Colombo
{{Short description|Diplomatic mission of the Maldives in Colombo, Sri Lanka}}
{{Infobox diplomatic mission
|image=
|name=High Commission of the Maldives, Colombo
|location=Sri Lanka
|address=25 Melbourne Ave, Colombo
|opened=1934 (Representative Office)
1954 (Embassy)
1986 (High Commission)
|high_commissioner=Ali Faiz
|website=[https://maldiveshighcom.lk/ maldiveshighcom.lk]
}}
The High Commission of the Maldives in Sri Lanka ({{langx|dv|ސްރީލަންކާގައި ހުންނަ ދިވެހިރާއްޖޭގެ ހައިކޮމިޝަން}}{{Cite web |title=Diplomatic Missions – Sri Lanka |url=https://www.gov.mv/en/organisations/ministry-of-foreign-affairs/embassylist |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231001211145/https://www.gov.mv/en/organisations/ministry-of-foreign-affairs/embassylist |archive-date=1 October 2023 |access-date=4 February 2024 |website=Government of the Republic of Maldives |publisher=Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Maldives}}) is an overseas embassy of the Maldives located in Colombo, the former capital and largest city in Sri Lanka.
History
The history of the Maldives' overseas diplomatic mission in Colombo, dates back to 1934, when the Maldives was a British protectorate and Sri Lanka was part of British Ceylon. On 4 March 1934, the Representative Office of the Maldives in Colombo was opened in the capital of British Ceylon with the first representative being Abdul Hameed Didi.{{Cite web |title=The High Commission – High Commission of the Maldives, Colombo |url=https://maldiveshighcom.lk/embassy/embassy/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220308083122/https://maldiveshighcom.lk/embassy/embassy/ |archive-date=8 March 2022 |access-date= |website=High Commission of the Maldives, Colombo}}
On 4 February 1948, Ceylon gained independence from Britain.{{Cite news |date=4 February 2016 |title=Independence of 1948 revived |url=https://www.ft.lk/article/522918/Independence-of-1948-revived |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240204094005/https://www.ft.lk/article/522918/Independence-of-1948-revived |archive-date=4 February 2024 |access-date=4 February 2024 |work=Daily FT}} In 1954, the Representative Office in Colombo, the capital of Ceylon, was elevated to the Embassy of the Maldives in Ceylon. The first ambassador was Mohamed Zaki, who served from 11 March 1954 – 7 May 1955.
On 26 July 1965, the Maldives became independent, and on the same day, relations between Sri Lanka and the Maldives were established. The United Kingdom and Ceylon were the only two countries to establish diplomatic relations with the Maldives on the same day of independence, which was earlier than the neighboring regional power India and the two great powers of the time, the United States and the Soviet Union.{{Cite web |title=List of the Countries with which the Republic of Maldives has established Diplomatic Relations with Dates |url=https://foreign.gov.mv/index.php/en/dipco?view=topic&id=11 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201031012501/https://foreign.gov.mv/index.php/en/dipco?view=topic&id=11 |archive-date=31 October 2020 |website=Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Maldives}}
On 23 May 1972, Ceylon changed its name to Sri Lanka.{{Cite news |date=1972-05-23 |title=Ceylon Becomes the Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1972/05/23/archives/ceylon-becomes-the-socialist-republic-of-sri-lanka.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240125203519/https://www.nytimes.com/1972/05/23/archives/ceylon-becomes-the-socialist-republic-of-sri-lanka.html |archive-date=25 January 2024 |access-date=2024-02-04 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}} As a result, it became the Embassy of the Maldives in Sri Lanka ({{langx|dv|ސްރީލަންކާގައި ހުންނަ ދިވެހިރާއްޖޭގެ އެމްބަސީ}}).
The Maldives Embassy in Colombo was closed in 1976 during the Ibrahim Nasir administration, but it was reopened in 1979 during the Maumoon Abdul Gayoom administration.
On 11 February 1985, the capital of Sri Lanka was moved from Colombo to Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte.{{Cite web |date=February 2016 |title=Celebrating Independence Day |url=http://serendib.btoptions.lk/article.php?id=1769 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221005055656/http://serendib.btoptions.lk/article.php?id=1769 |archive-date=5 October 2022 |website=Serendib – The Magazine of Sri Lankan Airlines}} However, the Maldives High Commission remains located in the former capital, Colombo.
On 15 November 1986, the Embassy was replaced by the Office of the High Commission of the Maldives in Sri Lanka. Abdul Azeez Yoosuf, who had previously served as a counsellor in Colombo, served as the first High Commissioner from November 15, 1986, to November 11, 1993.
In October 2016, when the Maldives withdrew from the Commonwealth of Nations,{{Cite news |last=Safi |first=Michael |date=2016-10-13 |title=Maldives quits Commonwealth over alleged rights abuses |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/oct/13/maldives-quits-commonwealth-over-alleged-rights-abuses |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231001155452/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/oct/13/maldives-quits-commonwealth-over-alleged-rights-abuses |archive-date=1 October 2023 |access-date=2024-02-04 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}} the overseas mission became the Embassy of the Maldives in Sri Lanka again,{{Cite web |date=9 November 2016 |title=މިނިސްޓްރީ އޮފް ފޮރިން އެފެއާޒުގެ ދަށުން ހިނގަމުންދާ ބައެއް ޑިޕްލޮމެޓިކް މިޝަންތަކުގެ ނަންނަމަށް ބަދަލު ގެންނެވުން |trans-title=Changes of overseas missions under the Maldivian Foreign Affairs Ministry |url=https://presidency.gov.mv/Press/Article/17365 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220808162900/https://presidency.gov.mv/Press/Article/17365 |archive-date=8 August 2022 |access-date=4 February 2024 |website=The President's Office of the Republic of Maldives |language=dv}} but on 1 February 2020, when the Maldives returned to its status as a republic in the Commonwealth of Nations,{{Cite web |date=3 February 2020 |title=The Maldives re-joins the Commonwealth |url=http://www.cpahq.org/cpahq/Main/News/News_Items/Maldives_returns_to_Commonwealth_Feb_2020.aspx |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201001164713/http://www.cpahq.org/cpahq/Main/News/News_Items/Maldives_returns_to_Commonwealth_Feb_2020.aspx |archive-date=1 October 2020 |website=Commonwealth Parliamentary Association}} It was reverted to the High Commission of the Maldives, Colombo.{{Cite web |date=9 February 2020 |title=މިނިސްޓްރީ އޮފް ފޮރިން އެފެއާޒުގެ ދަށުން ހިނގަމުންދާ ބައެއް ޑިޕްލޮމެޓިކް މިޝަންތަކުގެ ނަންތަކަށް ބަދަލު ގެންނެވުން |trans-title=Changes of overseas missions under the Maldivian Foreign Affairs Ministry |url=https://presidency.gov.mv/Press/Article/23082 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231228140137/https://presidency.gov.mv/Press/Article/23082 |archive-date=28 December 2023 |access-date=4 February 2024 |website=The President's Office of the Republic of Maldives |language=dv}}
High Commissioner
Ali Faiz, who has been serving as the High Commissioner of Maldives to Sri Lanka was appointed in January 2023.{{Cite web |date=25 January 2023 |title=The President appoints new high commissioner to Sri Lanka |url=https://presidencymaldives.gov.mv/Press/Article/27946 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230206133100/https://presidencymaldives.gov.mv/Press/Article/27946 |archive-date=6 February 2023 |access-date=4 February 2024 |website=The President's Office of the Republic of Maldives}}
See also
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://maldiveshighcom.lk Website of the High Commission]
{{Diplomatic missions of the Maldives}}
{{Diplomatic missions in Sri Lanka}}
Category:Government agencies established in 1986
Category:Government agencies established in 1979
Category:Government agencies disestablished in 1976
Category:Government agencies established in 1954