Male, July 29 (IANS) Maldives’ Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Abdullah Khaleel called on visiting Sri Lankan President Anura Dissanayake for a wide-ranging discussion focused on strengthening bilateral ties and exploring new areas of cooperation.
Taking to X, Khaleel described the meeting as a privilege and emphasised the constructive nature of the engagement.
“We had a meaningful discussion on the enduring and evolving partnership between Maldives and Sri Lanka. I conveyed heartfelt appreciation for Sri Lanka’s continued support and goodwill towards the Maldives,” he wrote.
The Maldivian minister highlighted that the talks addressed new areas of collaboration, particularly in improving consular services and boosting people-to-people exchanges.
“We discussed new avenues for collaboration, including strengthening people-to-people connections and providing efficient consular services to our citizens,” he added.
The visit underscores the close and longstanding ties between the two Indian Ocean island nations, which have historically shared strong relations in areas such as tourism, trade, education, and regional cooperation.
The Maldives and Sri Lanka have consistently supported each other on regional and multilateral platforms. Enhanced diplomatic visits in recent months reflect the renewed emphasis by both countries on deepening regional partnerships and citizen-focused diplomacy.
According to an official statement released by the Sri Lankan President, Sri Lanka and the Maldives have enjoyed longstanding relations dating back centuries. The two countries, being Indian Ocean littoral states, have been enriched by their association with the ancient maritime trade routes and shared histories.
Both countries are committed towards environmental protection, with Sri Lanka embarking on the ‘Clean Sri Lanka’ Programme, which was implemented through the three main pillars of social development, environmental development and ethical development to sustainably elevate the island country and the entire Sri Lankan society to a higher level.
While commending President Muizzu for the successful implementation of the ‘Maldives Clean Environment’ Project for solid waste management, Dissanayake acknowledged the importance of the collaborative efforts in countering the challenge of climate change and global warming, in the release.
The Sri Lankan President’s visit to Male is seen as part of the Maldives’ broader foreign policy direction under President Mohamed Muizzu, aimed at reinforcing cooperation with South Asian neighbours.
These discussions are expected to contribute positively to bilateral engagement and future collaboration between the two countries.
–IANS
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