Maldives’ Absence at Colombo Security Conclave Raises Questions About Regional Security Commitment

The Maldives' absence from the 6th NSA-level meeting of the Colombo Security Conclave (CSC) in Mauritius has raised questions about its commitment to regional security. The meeting, attended by India, Mauritius, Sri Lanka, and observers from Seychelles and Bangladesh, addressed Indian Ocean security challenges. Media reports in India interpret the absence as a sign of President Mohamed Muizzu's foreign policy shift towards China and Turkey, coinciding with his request for Indian troop withdrawal. On the same day, Vice President Hussain Mohamed Latheef attended a China-organized forum. The Maldives had previously attended CSC meetings. The CSC, initiated in 2011 as a trilateral maritime security cooperation, was suspended from 2014 to 2020 due to strained relations under former President Abdulla Yameen. It was revived in 2020 with Mauritius as a member, and a secretariat established in Colombo in 2021. Its mandate includes maritime security, counter-terrorism, and cybersecurity.

The Maldives' absence from the 6th NSA-level meeting of the Colombo Security Conclave (CSC) in Mauritius has raised questions about its commitment to regional security. The meeting, attended by India, Mauritius, Sri Lanka, and observers from Seychelles and Bangladesh, addressed Indian Ocean security challenges. Media reports in India interpret the absence as a sign of President Mohamed Muizzu's foreign policy shift towards China and Turkey, coinciding with his request for Indian troop withdrawal. On the same day, Vice President Hussain Mohamed Latheef attended a China-organized forum. The Maldives had previously attended CSC meetings. The CSC, initiated in 2011 as a trilateral maritime security cooperation, was suspended from 2014 to 2020 due to strained relations under former President Abdulla Yameen. It was revived in 2020 with Mauritius as a member, and a secretariat established in Colombo in 2021. Its mandate includes maritime security, counter-terrorism, and cybersecurity.

The Maldives' absence from the 6th NSA-level meeting of the Colombo Security Conclave (CSC) in Mauritius has raised questions about its commitment to regional security. The meeting, attended by India, Mauritius, Sri Lanka, and observers from Seychelles and Bangladesh, addressed Indian Ocean security challenges. Media reports in India interpret the absence as a sign of President Mohamed Muizzu's foreign policy shift towards China and Turkey, coinciding with his request for Indian troop withdrawal. On the same day, Vice President Hussain Mohamed Latheef attended a China-organized forum. The Maldives had previously attended CSC meetings. The CSC, initiated in 2011 as a trilateral maritime security cooperation, was suspended from 2014 to 2020 due to strained relations under former President Abdulla Yameen. It was revived in 2020 with Mauritius as a member, and a secretariat established in Colombo in 2021. Its mandate includes maritime security, counter-terrorism, and cybersecurity.

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