U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said that the U.S. will open an embassy in the Maldives for the first time.

“Getting this facility open won’t happen overnight but it’s worth it,” Pompeo told a news conference on an island resort. “It’s the right thing to do. Your role here in the Indo-Pacific and in the international community is increasingly important.”

The U.S. currently operates an American Center in Maldivian capital Malé.