Maldives President arrives today on official visit

Tuesday, 21 January 2014 00:25 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Maldives President Abdulla Yameen will arrive in Sri Lanka on Tuesday for his first visit since assuming office to bolster bilateral relations between the two island-nations, a statement from the President’s office said yesterday. Yameen is to make the State Visit to Sri Lanka, on the invitation of Sri Lanka President Mahinda Rajapaksa. President Yameen’s State Visit is scheduled from the 21-23 January, 2014. This will be the second Sate visit undertaken by the president since he came into power on 16 November. His previous tour was to India. During the visit, President Yameen will hold one-to-one deliberations with President Rajapaksa on charting the course for future Maldives-Sri Lanka bilateral ties. An official welcoming ceremony will be held at the Presidential Secretariat. President Rajapaksa and Sri Lankan First Lady Madam Shirathi Rajapaksa will host President Yameen for a State Luncheon at the President’s House. “President Yameen will be joined by a high-level delegation that includes Leader of the Jumhooree Party Qasim Ibrahim, Leader of the Maldives Development Alliance, Minister of Foreign Affairs Ahmed Siyam Mohamed, Vice President of the Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) Dunya Maumoon and Minority Leader of Parliament Abdul Raheem Abdulla,” the statement released by Yameen’s office added. President Yameen and President Rajapaksa will lead official bilateral talks between senior delegations of the two countries. During his stay in Sri Lanka, President Yameen will meet with the Maldivian community in Sri Lanka. He will also meet with selected members of the Sri Lankan Cabinet. A business forum organised by the Sri Lankan-Maldivian Business Council will also be held as part of President Yameen’s visit. The forum will discuss ways to enhance business and investment ties between Maldives and Sri Lanka. It will be attended by senior business delegations of both countries. President Yameen will be accompanied by First Lady Fathimath Ibrahim.