The Maldives Foreign Minister Abdullah Shahid on Wednesday participated in a virtual meeting of foreign ministers from the Commonwealth nations. This was the first meeting where the Maldives participated since it rejoined the organisation in February year.

During former president Abdulla Yameen's time, the island nation had quit the Commonwealth grouping, citing the organization’s interference in domestic politics in 2016. the website en.sun reported. 

In the meeting, Foreign Minister Abdullah Shahid stressed on the need for concessional finances for the small nations to combat the middle-income trap and disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.