Minister of Foreign Affairs Moosa Zameer has headed to the United States of America on an official visit, amid mounting pressure from the US over the Maldives’ decision to ban passports from Israel.

In a statement publicized on Monday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs revealed that FM Zameer’s trip is from June 24 – 27.

Zameer touched down in Washington D.C. on Monday evening.

Taking to social media platform ‘X’, the foreign minister expressed keenness to meet US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and senior officials from the US government.

As part of the visit, FM Zameer will be sitting down for talks with senior government officials regarding efforts to further enhance the longstanding ties of friendship and cooperation between the Maldives and US, as well as to reaffirm commitment to multilateralism.

In Washington D.C., FM Zameer will meet Blinken, Administrator of the US Agency for International Development Samantha Power and senior officials of the US government. 

Further, he will also participate in an interactive discussion at the prestigious Council of Foreign Relations.

He will also meet with the Maldivian community residing in Washington D.C., New York and New Jersey. 

FM Zameer will then head to New York to meet Secretary General of the United Nations António Guterres and Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs of the UN Li Junhua. 

In addition to this, the Maldivian foreign minister will meet tour operators and travel advisors based in New York.

Bilateral Secretary Dr. Hala Hameed and Senior Undersecretary Hassan Hussain Shihab are accompanying the foreign minister on this brief visit.

The visit carries the purpose of strengthening bilateral relations and ensuring that the Maldives pays close attention to international issues, according to the ministry.

As soon as the news of Maldives’ decision to ban Israeli passports made international headlines, there was a heated debate at the US parliament, with US parliamentarians having prepared a bill to the congress, seeking to take action and halt aid to the Maldives if the island nation carries through with the decision to ban Israeli passports.

The bill on banning Israeli passports was accepted by the People’s Majlis, and forwarded to the 241 Committee in early June. The bill was submitted by the former ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP)’s MP for South Galolhu constituency Meekail Naseem, in a bid to amend the Immigration Act, to ban the entry of tourists with Israeli passports into the Maldives.