The Government of Maldives has hosted an official welcoming ceremony for Prime Minister of Sri Lanka Ranil Wickremesinghe and his spouse Professor Maitree Wickramasinghe, at the Republic Square in Male' City, initiating the formalities of his first official visit to Maldives since President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih assumed office last November.
The Sri Lankan prime minister and his spouse was received by President Solih and First Lady Fazna Ahmed at the Presidential Jetty and treated to a welcoming performance by Maldivian school students prior to being escorted to the saluting dais and a 7-gun salute being fired in his honour by the Maldivian National Defence Force (MNDF). The national anthems of both Maldives and Sri Lanka were played by the Maldivian military brass band.
After the conclusion of the welcoming courtesies, Prime Minister Wickremesinghe was escorted to the President's Office with a cultural procession and upon arrival to the President's Office he signed the visitor's book.
Prime Minister Wickremesinghe met with President Solih for Official Talks, following which the two leaders presided over an agreement exchange ceremony and delivered a Joint Press Statement. President Solih will also hosted a banquet in the honour of the prime minister.
Prime Minister Wickremesinghe will also be chairing the 4th Indian Ocean Conference (IOC), inviting leaders and senior representatives from across the Indian Ocean to discuss and deliberate on the traditional and non-traditional security threats confronting the region.