President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe have held official talks at the President's Office.
At the outset, President Solih expressed his heartfelt 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 emphasising the urgency for the international community to come together to battle the mounting threats of violent religious extremism.
The president then positively commented on the excellent diplomatic relations that define the bilateral relationship between the two countries, bolstered by the longstanding historical and cultural links connecting Sri Lanka and Maldives. He expressed confidence the visit by the Sri Lankan prime minister will help elevate the relationship to new heights.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Wickremesinghe reciprocated the viewpoints of the president, emphasising the main driver of bilateral relationships between Maldives and Sri Lanka has been the close ties between the people. He highlighted the two countries are connected by historical and sociological links stretching far back to ancient times, with Sri Lanka greatly impacting the early settlement and development of Maldives.
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 the prime minister also expressed their satisfaction the agreement of cooperation and memoranda of understanding which the two governments will exchange during the visit will help further progress the mutual collaboration of the two countries. They further 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.