We congratulate the Maldivian people on concluding the first round of their presidential election on September 7. The very high voter turnout showed the strong commitment of the people of Maldives to democratic government.

As the country prepares for a second round of voting on September 28, we call on all parties to respect the democratic process and continue to allow for a free, fair and peaceful vote to take place. This is the second presidential election since Maldives embraced multiparty democracy in 2008, and thus represents a historic opportunity for Maldivians to select democratically the representative of their choice.