EU Eliminates Maldives Sanctions Regime

The European Union Council revoked its sanctions regime on the Maldives because of the country’s improving political situation, the council said in a June 17 press release. The sanctions were created in July 2018 to target people or entities that contributed to human rights violations and the “deterioration of the political situation” in the country, but “no persons or entities were listed under this sanctions regime,” the press release said. The council made the decision to revoke the regime after the country held “peaceful and democratic parliamentary elections” in April and committed to “ensure good governance, and promote respect for human rights” during a March policy meeting with the EU.