Maldives on Sunday formalized diplomatic relations with Zambia, a landlocked country in Southern Africa.
Permanent Representatives from their respective countries to the United Nations signed the Joint Communique in Maldives on Sunday, Maldives foreign ministry said.
Zambia, unlike most of its neighbours, has managed to avoid the war and upheaval that has marked much of Africa's post-colonial history, earning itself a reputation for political stability.
The landlocked country has experienced rapid economic growth over the last decade as Africa's second largest copper producer after the DR Congo.
Zambia also has one of the world's fastest growing populations with the UN projecting that its population will triple by 2050.
But economic growth and massive Chinese investment have failed to improve the lives of most Zambians, with two-thirds still living in poverty.
