The meeting took place after Ambassador Raymundo presented her credentials to President Muizzu, where she expressed hope to work closely to enhance cooperation with the European Union during her tenure.
President Dr Mohamed Muizzu has held talks with the new European Union (EU) Ambassador to Maldives, Maria Carmen Moreno Raymundo, on reducing tariffs on Maldivian fish exports following the Maldives' participation in the Organization of African, Caribbean, and Pacific States (OACPS)'s Samoa Agreement.
The meeting took place after Ambassador Raymundo presented her credentials to President Muizzu, where she expressed hope to work closely to enhance cooperation with the European Union during her tenure, according to the President's Office.
“The two discussed reduction of tariffs on fish exported from Maldives following the signing of the Samoa Agreement,” the President's Office said.
The Samoa Agreement sets out the framework for the relationship between the European Union (EU), its member states, and the member states of the OACPS.
The agreement signed on 1st July, will facilitate further expansion of cooperation between the Maldives and the European Union on economic development, sustainable development, environment, and climate change. It will also provide the Maldives with access to facilities available to OACPS member countries within the EU, according to the government.
These include facilitating more opportunities for Maldivian fish products to be exported internationally, the government said.
To date, the Samoa Agreement has been signed by 27 EU countries and 69 out of the 79 OACPS countries. The agreement has been ratified by two EU countries and two OACPS countries.