U.S. Maldivian Relations

The United States and Maldives have maintained friendly relations since Maldives' independence in 1965.  United States Ambassador to Maldives Robert Blake, Jr. is enthusiastic about using the new Virtual Presence Post (VPP) to further strengthen current ties between the two nations.  The VPP will serve as an information portal for U.S. and Maldivian citizens and will facilitate the Embassy’s efforts to encourage democratic reform and promote economic cooperation. 

The U.S. role in advocating democratic reform is a focal point of the U.S.-Maldivian relationship.  The U.S. continues to urge the Government of Maldives to push forward on democratization and to maintain the timeline that was set out in the government’s March 2006 “Reform Roadmap.”   The Embassy regularly engages with all political parties to encourage constructive dialogue as Maldives moves toward its inaugural multi-party election in October 2008.  The United States is committed to offering more cultural exchange programs in Maldives to enlarge the scope of moderate voices and highlight democratic values.  The U.S and Maldives also enjoy a close military-to-military relationship, including joint exercises and training opportunities for Maldivian officers at U.S. service academies.   

Maldives’ small but rapidly growing economy offers significant untapped potential for U.S. exports and investment in aviation, energy and tourism.  Approximately 5,000 Americans visit Maldives annually.  The Embassy works closely with the U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) and the office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) to further economic interests between the two countries.  In addition, the Embassy continues to assist American firms with marketing their products in Maldives.

The United States is one of Maldives' largest donors of humanitarian assistance.  Following the December 2004 tsunami, the U.S. State Department provided $8.65 million in reconstruction assistance and USAID contributed $1.9 million.   The U.S. Government also contributed $100,000 in disaster recovery assistance following the May 2007 storm surges.

Current Programs in Maldives

The U.S. Embassy regularly sponsors cultural, educational and other activities in Maldives.  These activities include academic and professional exchange programs, conferences, seminars and collaboration with educational institutions to promote American Studies and the teaching of English.  You may also check the home page for news about upcoming U.S. Embassy events.

Ongoing Events and Programs:

The American Corner at the Male’ National Library has a collection of over 700 books focusing on U.S. society and culture. Books on U.S. Government, economy, business, English language, education, history, literature and arts, science and environment are also available.  A collection of 58 videotapes and DVDs including feature films and documentaries is also available. In addition, 26 U.S. periodicals in a wide range of fields (printed format) are available in the periodical section.

The American Information Resource Center in Colombo helps those interested in learning more about U.S. history and culture, discovering educational and business opportunities, and understanding global issues, particularly those pertaining to American society and U.S. Government policy.  We can employ our collection of books, magazines, feature films, award-winning educational programs, documentaries, state-of–the art databases with full text articles from thousands of American newspapers and professional journals and our broadband internet connections to assist you with your inquiries.

We are available for contact through the American Corner in Male'.

Tel: +00 (960) 332-3944
E-mail: thifla.umar@nlm.gov.mv