Senior officials from the Maldives held discussions with leading members of Türkiye’s business community in Istanbul, aiming to strengthen economic ties and encourage investment across a range of sectors. The meeting was organised by the Foreign Economic Relations Board of Türkiye (DEIK) and brought together more than 15 major Turkish companies. The session was led by Nail Olpak, Chairperson of the Türkiye-Asia Pacific Business Council and a DEIK Board Member.
The Maldivian delegation was headed by Minister of Foreign Affairs Dr Abdulla Khaleel and Minister of Economic Development and Trade Mohamed Saeed. In their opening remarks, Minister Khaleel highlighted the Maldives’ strategic location and the government’s commitment to fostering a supportive business environment. Minister Saeed referenced the signing of two key agreements—the Economic Cooperation Agreement in November 2023 and the Preferential Trade Agreement in November 2024—as indicators of the growing trade and investment relationship between the two countries. He also conveyed the government’s aim to build on this momentum in the years ahead.
The session covered investment opportunities in sectors including tourism, renewable energy, agriculture, housing, real estate, port development, and technology. CEO of Invest Maldives, Nuha Mohamed Riza, delivered a presentation outlining the country’s investment landscape, positioning the Maldives as an emerging destination for tourism and infrastructure development.
Following the formal remarks and presentation, both ministers engaged informally with Turkish business leaders, discussing potential collaboration and ways to enhance economic cooperation.
The engagement is viewed as a meaningful step in advancing bilateral ties between the Maldives and Türkiye, particularly in sectors identified as having high growth potential.
