Maldives formally established diplomatic relations with Eritrea on Thursday.
Permanent Representative of Maldives to the United Nations Thilmeeza Hussain and her Eritrean counterpart Sophia Tesfamariam Yohannes signed the Joint Communiqué formalising diplomatic relations at a ceremony held at the Permanent Mission of Maldives to the UN in New York.
With a population of approximately 3.2 million, Eritrea is a north African country along the red sea coast that shares borders with Ethiopia, Sudan and Djibouti.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has reiterated that the current administration's foreign policy commitment to cultivate partnerships with other countries.
Following the establishment of diplomatic relations with Eritrea, the Maldives currently maintains ties with 176 countries.