Their Excellencies President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe have held Official Talks this morning at the President’s Office.
At the outset, the President expressed his sincere condolences to the victims of the 2019 Easter bombings, a brutal terrorist attack that claimed the lives of over 250 innocent Sri Lankan residents, further emphasizing the urgency for the international community to come together to battle the mounting threats of violent religious extremism.
The President then positively mentioned the excellent diplomatic relations that define the bilateral relationship between the two countries, strengthened by the longstanding historical and cultural links connecting Sri Lanka and the Maldives. President Solih expressed his confidence that the Prime Minister’s visit will help elevate that relationship to new heights.
The Prime Minister reciprocated the viewpoints of the President, emphasizing that the main driver of bilateral relationships between the Maldives and Sri Lanka has been the close ties between the people. He highlighted that the two countries are connected by historical and sociological links stretching far back to ancient times, with Sri Lanka greatly impacting the Maldives’ early settlement and development.
Both leaders reviewed bilateral cooperation on a broad range of spheres, encompassing such sectors as health, education, youth development, cultural cooperation, regional governance, and security cooperation. The President and Prime Minister also expressed their satisfaction that the agreement of cooperation and memoranda of understanding which the two governments will exchange during this visit, will help further progress the two countries’ mutual collaboration.
The President and Prime Minister then spoke regarding the need to further engage in the international fora to overcome common challenges on subjects including climate change, regional security, trade, and maritime issues. Concluding the talks, the two leaders expressed their resolve to continue bilateral relationships on a positive trajectory.
