Three agreements signed between Maldives and Sri Lanka

Three agreements have been signed between the governments of Maldives and Sri Lanka, at a ceremony at the President’s Office this evening.

The ceremony was attended by President Yameen Abdul Gayoom and President of Sri Lanka Mahinda Rajapaksa.

The agreements are a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Health Cooperation, an MoU on Strengthening Cooperation between Board of Investment of Sri Lanka and Ministry of Economic Development of Maldives, and an Arrangement on Search and Rescue.

All three agreements were signed by Minister of External Affairs of Sri Lanka G. L. Peiris on behalf of the Sri Lankan government.

On behalf of the Maldivian government, the MoU on Health Cooperation was signed by Minister of Health Dr Maryam Shakeela, the MoU on Strengthening Cooperation between Board of Investment of Sri Lanka and Ministry of Economic Development of Maldives was signed by Minister of Economic Development Mohamed Saeed, and the Arrangement on Search and Rescue was signed by Minister of Foreign Affairs Dunya Maumoon.

Sri Lankan President Rajapaksa arrived in the Maldives on a state visit this afternoon.

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

A meeting was also held between President Rajapaksa and President Yameen this afternoon, 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.