Sri Lanka, Maldives sign seven MoUs during Muizzu’s Colombo visit

Colombo: Sri Lanka and the Maldives signed seven memoranda of understanding during Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu’s State Visit to Colombo, the President’s Media Division (PMD) said on Monday.

The agreements cover cooperation in tourism, education, higher education, health, sports, youth development, archives and defence, the PMD said.

Muizzu arrived in Sri Lanka on Monday for a three-day State Visit at the invitation of Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake. The visit marks his first trip to Sri Lanka since he assumed office in 2023, reported Xinhua news agency.

Sri Lanka hosted an official welcome ceremony for Muizzu at the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo on Monday. The two leaders later held talks and issued a joint media statement on the outcome of their discussions.

Dissanayake thanked the Maldivian government for the humanitarian assistance provided to Sri Lanka during the recent disaster period and said climate change remained a shared challenge for both countries.

He also invited Maldivian investors to explore opportunities in information technology, artificial intelligence, fisheries and agro-processing, tourism, real estate, and urban development infrastructure.

The two countries also agreed on reciprocal land allocations for their diplomatic missions. Sri Lanka allocated land in Colombo for the Maldivian High Commission, while the Maldives allocated land for the Sri Lankan High Commission.

President Muizzu and President Dissanayake took part in a tree-planting ceremony to commemorate the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the Maldives and Sri Lanka.

Both Presidents planted Horsfieldia iryaghedhi trees, a critically endangered species endemic to Sri Lanka.

During the courtesy call between the two leaders, Muizzu commended the Sri Lankan government’s efforts to recover from the socio-economic challenges following the devastating impacts of Cyclone Ditwah last year.

According to a press release from the Maldives president’s office, both leaders reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening ties between the two countries and exploring new avenues for cooperation in areas of mutual interest, including hospitality and tourism, healthcare, education, vocational training and broader socio-economic development.
IANS