The Maldives signed the "Samoa Agreement" formed between the European Union (EU) and the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS) with reservations to secular provisions that conflict with the Constitution, the government has said.
The Parliament approved signing the agreement on Sunday. The government signed the agreement yesterday. The move has since drawn widespread criticism over provisions in the agreement that conflict with Islam and the Constitution of the Maldives.
"Reservations were submitted to a total of 12 declarations and articles. Reservations were submitted to such provisions in the past as well with the conventions that the Maldives joined," Government Spokesperson Heena Waleed said.
The Samoa Agreement heavily encourages freedom of religion. The agreement also encourages protecting the "rights" of homosexuals and legalising abortion, NGOs said.
However, Heena gave full assurances that the government would not allow anything that conflicts with Islam or the Constitution of the Maldives.
The agreement will pave the way for the Maldives to access preference mechanisms available to OACPS countries within the EU, the government said.
The parties to the agreement include 27 EU members and 79 countries from the OACPS. The Maldives became a full member of the OACPS on December 9, 2022.
