Russia has assured the Maldives that it is committed to expediting the procurement of Covid-19 vaccines to the Indian Ocean archipelago, reported Raajje TV. 

The assurance came after the Maldives Foreign Minister Abdullah Shahid held a telephonic conversation with his Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov, on Thursday. The two leaders also discussed cooperation in the post-Covid economic recovery. 

A statement released by the Maldives’ Ministry of Foreign Affairs said, “The government of Russia is committed to expedite the procurement of Covid-19 vaccines and continue efforts to further enhance the existing cooperation between both countries.” 

During the call, they also discussed the current challenges the two countries are facing due to the ongoing Covid crisis. They have discussed effective measures taken by both governments to effectively control the spread of the virus. 

The drug regulators in the archipelago have given emergency use approval to Sputnik V vaccine on 13 May. 

 Significantly, China, which has stepped up its efforts to provide vaccine and Covid assistance to South Asian countries, has ignored the Maldives, possibly due to the close proximity of the current Maldivian dispensation with India. 

Earlier in April, when Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi held a foreign minister-level Covid-19 meeting with South Asian countries, the Maldives wasn’t even invited to it. The current government of the Maldives, considered close to India, has not even managed to get foreign ministers level meeting with China, despite expressing its desire publicly for the same. 

(SAM)