President and First Lady return to Male’ after state visit to Sri Lanka

Maldivian President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu and First Lady Sajidha Mohamed returned to Male’ on Wednesday, after wrapping up a state visit to Sri Lanka.

They had traveled to Colombo on Sunday.

President Muizzu had undertaken the state visit at the invitation of Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, who paid his own visit to Maldives in July last year.

The four-day state visit included a wide-ranging program of official, ceremonial, and community engagements.

During the visit, President Muizzu held official talks with President Dissanayake, focusing on further strengthening the longstanding bilateral relations between the Maldives and Sri Lanka and identifying new avenues for cooperation.

The two leaders also witnessed the exchange of seven Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) covering key areas including youth development, archiving cooperation, tourism, prevention of violent extremism, academic cooperation in the defense and health sectors, and the training and professional development of school teachers.

Following the official talks, both leaders delivered press statements, during which President Muizzu hailed the beginning of “a new and dynamic chapter” in Maldives-Sri Lanka relations.

The two leaders also participated in a tree planting ceremony at Vihara Mahadevi Park to commemorate the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

Beyond the official talks, several senior Sri Lankan officials paid courtesy calls on President Muizzu, including the Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya, Parliament Speaker Dr. Jagath Wickramaratne, and the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism, MP Vijitha Herath.

According to the President’s Office, these engagements reaffirmed the shared commitment to deepening cooperation between the two countries.

President Muizzu also delivered the keynote address at the Maldives–Sri Lanka Business Forum, where he encouraged greater participation from Sri Lankan investors, emphasizing the importance of enhancing two-way investment flows.

In addition, he attended the launch of Maldives Industrial Fisheries Company (MIFCO) products in Sri Lanka, marking the expansion of its value-added fisheries product line to regional markets.

President Muizzu and First Lady Sajidha attended the state banquet hosted in their honor by President Dissanayake, and also visited the High Commission of the Maldives, the Maldives Cultural Centre, and the Colombo National Museum.

As part of the First Lady Sajidha's official engagements, she visited the Lady Ridgeway Hospital for Children, where she toured the orthopedic, plastic surgery, and pediatric surgery wards, and interacted with patients. She also visited the Good Market Sri Lanka Office, which showcases women-led businesses, and engaged directly with entrepreneurs. The Mayor of Colombo, Vraîe Cally Balthazaar, also hosted her for a Sri Lankan tea experience.

President Muizzu and First Lady Sajidha also met with members of the Maldivian community residing in Colombo.

The trip marked President Muizzu’s first state visit to Sri Lanka since assuming office in November 2023. It follows President Dissanayake’s state visit to Maldives from July 28-30 last year, which commemorated the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

President Muizzu and First Lady Sajidha were accompanied in their Sri Lanka visit by a high-level delegation comprising cabinet ministers and senior government officials.