Sri Lankan President arrives in Maldives

President Mahinda Rajapaksa and First Lady Shiranthi Rajapaksa of Sri Lanka have arrived in the Maldives on a state visit.

President Rajapaksa was greeted upon arrival in Male’ this afternoon by at 21-gun salute by Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF), followed by the national anthems of both countries and a guard of honour.

President Rajapaksa is accompanied by an official delegation comprising of cabinet ministers, Members of Parliament and other senior government officials of Sri Lanka.

The President’s Office said that during this visit, President Rajapaksa will meet with President Yameen Abdul Gayoom to discuss bilateral ties between the two countries.

The Sri Lankan President is the first Head of State to make a state visit to the Maldives since the assumption of presidential office by President Yameen.