Pres Solih holds official talks with Sri Lanka PM

President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe held official talks Monday at the President’s Office.

PM Wickremesinghe is currently visiting the Maldives on the official invitation of President Solih.

At the meeting, the President expressed his heartfelt condolences to the victims of the 2019 Easter bombings that occurred in Sri Lanka, which killed 250 people. The President further emphasized the urgency for the international community to come together to battle the mounting threats of violent religious extremism.

The President commented on the excellent diplomatic relations that define the bilateral relationship between the two countries, and expressed his confidence that the Prime Minister's visit will help elevate that relationship to new heights.

The Prime Minister reciprocated the viewpoints of the President, noting that the main driver of bilateral relationships between the Maldives and Sri Lanka has been the close ties between the people. He highlighted that the two countries are connected by historical and sociological links stretching far back to ancient times, with Sri Lanka greatly impacting the Maldives' early settlement and development.

The bilateral cooperation on sectors such as health, education, youth development, cultural cooperation, regional governance and security cooperation were reviewed during the meeting. The two leaders expressed their satisfaction that the agreement of cooperation and memoranda of understanding exchanged during the visit would help further progress the two countries’ mutual collaboration.

The President and Prime Minister discussed 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.