President requests better consular services for Maldivians in Sri Lanka

President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom has requested for Sri Lankan government’s assistance in improving consular services for the large Maldivian community residing in Sri Lanka.

President made the request during a call by the Sri Lankan Minister of External Affairs Prof. G. L. Peiris at the hotel in which the Maldivian President is residing at during his state visit to Sri Lanka.

President Yameen briefed the Sri Lankan External Affairs Minister on the key objectives of his administration’s foreign policy and noted that the policy largely focuses on the accessibility of services required by Maldivian living in foreign countries. In this regard, the President noted that a large number of Maldivian seek education and health services from Sri Lanka and asked the Sri Lankan government to facilitate easy access to services for students and patients.

Minister G. L. Peiris assured the President of Sri Lanka’s commitment to support the Maldives in key areas of development, including education and health and spoke on the tremendous potential for increased trade and investment, which he noted would be of benefit to both countries. He noted that there is room for increased cooperation in fields of fisheries, tourism, health and education, in addition to an increase in overall bilateral trade.

The Sri Lankan External Affairs Minister noted that Sri Lanka had personally experienced the transformation in economic fortunes associated with prolonged stability and domestic peace and harmony and that the Sri Lankan government had every confidence that President Yameen’s aspirations for accelerated economic growth would materialize.