By Shakir Husain
NEW DELHI, Dec 23 (Bernama) -- Malaysia's recently appointed honorary consul in the Maldives received his exequatur on Monday.
Maldives Foreign Minister Abdulla Khaleel gave the authorisation to Male-based Ragheb Ahmed Khalaf as Malaysia's Honorary Consul in the country, according to a Maldivian Foreign Ministry statement.
Khaleel in a meeting with Ragheb at the ministry emphasised the role of honorary consuls in fostering closer relations and enhancing people-to-people contact between the Maldives and the countries they represent.
Honorary consuls, who are not professional diplomats, can assist in consular and other services and may act as eyes and ears of the countries that appoint them.
Malaysia's High Commissioner to the Maldives and Sri Lanka, Badli Hisham Adam, is based in Colombo, the capital of Sri Lanka.
-- BERNAMA
