Minister of Foreign Affairs Moosa Zameer has concluded his official visit to Saudi Arabia. The four-day visit was undertaken by the minister, at the invitation of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al-Saud. During his official visit, Minister Zameer held fruitful discussions with several government dignitaries of Saudi Arabia and members of the Saudi Fund for Development (SFD).
In the meeting between Minister Zameer and the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Saudi Arabia Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al-Saud, Minister Zameer presented a letter from President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu, to Saudi Arabia's foreign minister. The letter was addressed to the Crown Prince and Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud.
At the meeting, both ministers reflected on the close ties of friendship and cooperation between the Maldives and Saudi Arabia, which are rooted in the common Islamic heritage, shared values and principles. The discussions focused on strengthening the existing bilateral relations between the two countries, as well as opportunities for increased multilateral cooperation in areas of mutual interest. Both ministers also discussed the holding of the first round of bilateral political consultations between the Maldives and Saudi Arabia, at a mutually convenient time. Minister Zameer also expressed gratitude for Saudi Arabia's long-standing support for the Maldives, and conveyed hopes for increased bilateral engagements following this visit.
Furthermore, Minister Zameer met with the Assistant Minister of the Ministry of Investment for Saudi Arabia Engineer Ibrahim Bin Yousef Almubarak. The ministers held important discussion, pertaining to the enhancement of economic development ties. They discussed various investment opportunities in the Maldives. Minister Zameer also expressed his gratitude for the support provided by Saudi Arabia in the socio-economic development of the Maldives.
Minister Zameer held discussions with the Deputy Minister of Finance for International Relations of Saudi Arabia Khalid Bawazier. The talks centred on measures to implement, aimed at enhancing trade and tourism cooperation. The ministers also discussed the expansion of investments between the two countries.
Additionally, Minister Zameer also met with the Governor of the Central Bank of Saudi Arabia Ayman Al-Sayari. During the meeting, Minister Zameer briefed the Governor the economic situation in the Maldives, the growth of the tourism sector, and potential investment opportunities. The minister further addressed the prospects for bilateral trade expansion to overcome current account deficit challenges.
Meanwhile, the discussions held with the SFD members focused on seeking financial assistance. In a post shared on social media, Minister Zameer stated that the meeting held with the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the SFD Sultan bin Abdulrahman Al-Marshad was very productive. During the meeting, the minister briefed the CEO with the ongoing projects in the Maldives, and projects planned to be launched. They also discussed new areas in which the Maldives could benefit from funding such as infrastructure and healthcare.
Furthermore, Minister Zameer expressed gratitude to the SFD for it's generous assistance to the Maldives. The minister also reaffirmed the need to strengthen the bilateral relations to ensure that mutual development goals are met effectively.
Minister Zameer also reaffirmed the government's commitment to providing opportunities for as many Maldivians as possible to excel in a variety of professions and further their education abroad. The statement was made by the minister after interacting with the Maldivians residing in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The Maldivian community in Riyadh included students, professionals, and their families.
In a social media post, Minister Zameer expressed happiness in meeting the Maldivian community and holding significant discussions on several topics. The minister emphasised the government's unwavering commitment to providing the Maldivians with opportunities for technical training and higher education, to excel in a variety of professions and education abroad.
Minister Zameer has succesfuly concluded his visit to Saudi Arabia. The minister was accompanied by Governor of the Maldives Monetary Authority Ahmed Munawar, Ambassador-at-Large Ahmed Naseer, Managing Director of Maldives Airports Company Limited (MACL) Ibrahim Shareef Mohamed, Joint Secretary Badoora Saeed and Director General Aishath Fareena.