Main opposition MDP’s former chairperson Fayyaz Ismail said on Friday that Maldives’ foreign policy should focus on maintaining friendly relations with as many countries, including its neighbors, and stressed the need to appoint well-educated professionals to the foreign service to achieve this goal.
The remarks by Fayyaz, who served as the Economic Minister during the last administration, come following remarks by Maldivian High Commissioner to Sri Lanka Masood Imad, slamming poor visa facilitations for Maldivian nationals traveling to Sri Lanka.
In an interview with Sri Lankan media outlet, Daily News, Masood questioned why Maldivians traveling to Sri Lanka are receiving “step-motherly” treatment by Sri Lankan immigration officials.
The High Commissioner warned that the Maldivian government will be forced to revise its visa policy concerning Sri Lankan professionals working in various sectors within the Maldives if the situation persists.
The remarks have been criticized by many who have slammed the current administration for its poor foreign policy.
Maldives had strained relation with India at the onset of the current administration due to the ‘India Out’ campaign during the administration’s time in opposition and derogatory remarks made by three deputy ministers about Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. This led the administration to take remedial measures, which drew further criticism for their perceived irony.
Many have raised concern over the possibility of Imad’s remarks straining ties with Sri Lanka.
Fayyaz, in a post on X sharing a Sun report on Masood’s remarks, said foreign policy should be Maldives’ first line of defense, with the foreign service at the forefront of safeguarding the country’s independence.
For this purpose, he emphasized the importance of a capable foreign service.
He also stressed the need for a foreign policy that avoids conflicts with other countries, particularly neighboring states.
“I believe laws should be amended to ensure that only individuals with formal education in the field are eligible for appointment to the foreign service. Then only would such incidents that would impact longstanding relations would not be repeated,” he added.
Meanwhile, MDP’s South Galolhu MP Meekail Ahmed Naseem attributed the current administration’s “irresponsible” foreign policies to the difficulties faced by Maldivians in obtaining Sri Lankan visa.
Notably, the strain ties with India resulted in a significant reduction of tourists from the country, which had topped tourist arrivals to Maldives after the pandemic. This was a significant loss to Maldives, an economy that is heavily reliant on tourism for revenue. 
Most diplomatic appointments under the current administration consist of individuals from outside the field, similar to the previous MDP administration, which appointed party supporters to embassies and high commissions. This has sidelined individuals who are formally trained in diplomacy or who have extensive experience working in the field.
Maldives has long been dependent on foreign nations for budgetary support. However, foreign aid to the Maldives has also declined sharply over the two years of the current administration, with most of the aid projected in the budget not materializing. Critics attribute this shortfall to the perceived failures of the administration’s foreign policy.