The Foreign Minister of Maldives Meets the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Sri Lanka

On Saturday, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Maldives, His Excellency Abdulla Shahid met with His Excellency M.U.M Ali Sabry, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka. The meeting took place as part of the official visit the foreign minister is undertaking to Sri Lanka.

At the meeting, Minister Shahid and Minister Sabry exchanged dialogues on strengthening existing areas and exploring new avenues of enhanced cooperation in trade, investment, education and culture. On this note, Minister Shahid expressed his sincere gratitude to the Sri Lankan Government for easing the visa procedure for Maldivian students under the age of 18 on a reciprocal basis.

Following the meeting, the two Ministers presided over the signing of the ‘Memorandum of Understanding between the Government of the Republic of Maldives and the Government of Sri Lanka on Cooperation on Immigration Matters’. The signing of the agreement will pave way for mutually beneficial assistance in managing border security and enhancing people-to-people contact between the Maldives and Sri Lanka.

Minister Shahid was accompanied on his official visit by a formal delegation of dignitaries from the Maldives. This included Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, His Excellency Ahmed Khaleel, High Commissioner of the Maldives to Sri Lanka, His Excellency Ali Faiz, Controller General of the Maldives Immigration, Mohamed Ahmed Hussain and Secretary Bilateral, Her Excellency Dr Hala Hameed among others.

The Foreign Minister is currently undertaking an official visit to Sri Lanka on the invitation extended by the Sri Lankan Foreign Minister, Ali Sabry to attend the celebrations of the 75^th Anniversary of the Independence of Sri Lanka.