Saudi and Sri Lankan leaders congratulate Muizzu on election win

Sri Lankan President, Ranil Wickremesinghe, and the King of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Salman bin Abdul Azeez Al Saud have extended their congratulations to President-Elect Dr Mohamed Muizzu.

The President’s media division of Sri Lanka, PMD, reported that President Wickremesinghe called Muizzu and personally congratulated him.

They spoke about strengthening the close friendship that already exists between Maldives and Sri Lanka and working together to bring the economic relations between the two countries to another level.

In addition, they agreed to work to develop educational, healthcare, business, and other sectors in both countries.

President Ranil has said that Sri Lanka will cooperate in all possible ways to accomplish this and that he hopes that Maldives will prosper under Muizzu’s presidency. 

Former President and Vice President, Mahinda Rajapaksa, also congratulated Muizzu and said that he hopes that the long-standing friendship between Maldives and Sri Lanka will be strengthened further. 

I extend my warmest greetings to @MMuizzu on his election as the President of Maldives. I look forward to seeing a new chapter in Sri Lanka-Maldives relations that will further enhance the friendly relations that the two countries have enjoyed for a long time.

— Mahinda Rajapaksa (@PresRajapaksa) October 1, 2023

Saudi state media has reported that both King Salman and the Crown Prince, Mohamed bin Salman, have congratulated Muizzu as well. 

The Saudi ambassador to Maldives, Matrek Abdullah Al-Ajalin Aldosari has also congratulated Muizzu.

He said, in a Tweet, that he hopes for many accomplishments for Muizzu in his five year term and that Saudi Arabia will continue to provide help as they have in the past.

Many leaders of other countries have congratulated Muizzu on his triumph in the Presidential Elections. This includes the Prime Minister of neighbouring India, Narendra Modi as well as Pakistan.

Muizzu contested against President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih in the 2023 Presidential Elections and won with 54 percent of the votes. President Solih received 46 percent of the votes.