The Maldives on Thursday pulled out of the Commonwealth calling as "unjust" the grouping's decision to penalise the island nation over the circumstances that led to then President Mohamed Nasheed's ouster in 2012 and the lack of subsequent progress in resolving the political unrest.
The Maldives Foreign Ministry termed as "difficult" but "inevitable" the decision to leave the Commonwealth, a grouping of 53 nations that were mostly territories of the former British Empire. last month, the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG), had warned Maldives of suspension from the bloc expressing its "deep disappointment" over the country's lack of progress in resolving the political crisis.
Severely critical of Commonwealth, the Maldives said in the name of promotion of democracy, the grouping used the country to increase the organisation's own relevance and leverage in international politics.
"The Commonwealth has sought to take punitive actions against the Maldives since 2012 after the then President of Maldives (Nasheed) resigned, and transfer of power took place as per the procedures set out in the Constitution," the Maldives Foreign Ministry said.