President Nasheed Holds Press Conference to Create Public Awareness and Familiarize the Press on SAARC Summit

President Mohamed Nasheed has held a Press Conference to create public awareness and familiarize the press on programmes and preparations underway for SAARC Summit.

Meeting with the press today, President Mohamed Nasheed spoke on decisions taken to hold this year’s SAARC Summit in Addu, which will be Addu’s first opportunity to host a SAARC Summit.

President Mohamed Nasheed said that following the theme of this year’s Summit to promote ‘Building Bridges’, the Summit seeks to promote guidance for sustained regional cooperation, for enhancing the regional initiatives as well as judicious management of bilateral differences.

In his press statement, President Nasheed spoke on reaching an agreement for conduction of a first ever Regional Railway which is expected to promote intra-regional connectivity in SAARC.

President Nasheed also spoke on taking steps to reducing up to 60% the 'sensitive lists' of items for free trade in SAARC in order to improve trade, services, gain promotion and protection of investments and give a fillip to intra-regional commerce.

President Nasheed also spoke on discussions held to sign a Regional Motor Vehicle Agreement which recommends ways to do away with physical and non-physical barriers in the way of regional transport movement thus allowing people to travel freely across the region and facilitate smooth goods movement.

The President also underlined the role of SAARC in consolidating decentralization process and shaping future development of Addu City. In this regard, the President said that following the Summit, Addu Convention Center is to be bid under Public Private Partnership; for which discussions are currently underway between Addu City Council and the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture.

Additionally, President Nasheed revealed that H.E Paul Kagame, President of The Republic of Rwanda will shortly make an official state visit to the Maldives.

At the Press Conference, President Nasheed answered questions from journalists, on ongoing political issues in the Maldives and upcoming SAARC Summit.