President Mohamed Nasheed has met with the National Security Act Assessment team of the US Pacific Command visiting the Maldives.
Discussions during the meeting held at the President’s Office this afternoon were focused on formulating a national defence and security plan.
Speaking at the meeting President Nasheed spoke on the priority areas for national defence and security. He outlined the challenges faced by the Maldives due to terrorism, piracy in Western Indian Ocean and drug trafficking.
During the meeting, the team highlighted the areas in which the US could assist the Maldives in further strengthening its national defence and security framework.
The team led by US Defence and Army Attaché to Sri Lanka and Maldives Lieutenant Colonel Lawrence Smith include Mr John Hansen and Ms Carrie Casey from Defence Institutional Reform Initiative of US Pacific Command, Ms Shezi Khan of Joint Interagency Task Force West and Major Sean Nowlan of US Pacific Command.
The meeting was also attended by Vice President Dr Mohamed Waheed, Special Envoy of the President Ibrahim Hussain Zaki, and the President’s Political Affairs Advisor Hassan Afeef.