His Excellency President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom and First Lady Madam Fathimath Ibrahim have this morning departed on a State Visit to India, on the invitation of the President of India, His Excellency Shri Pranab Mukherjee. The visit is President Yameen's first official foreign visit since his assumption of office as the President of Maldives.
During the four-day visit, President Yameen will call on His Excellency President Pranab Mukherjee and meet with Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh. The President and Prime Minister Dr. Singh will jointly chair official talks between the Maldives and India, on strengthening the existing ties between the two countries. The two sides are expected to conclude bilateral agreements in the areas of Health and Visa Facilitation. President Mukherjee will host a State Banquet in honour of President Yameen and First Lady Fathimath Ibrahim.
The President and the First Lady are being accompanied by Members of Parliament, Hon. Qasim Ibrahim, Leader of the Jumhooree Party and Hon. Ahmed Siyam Mohamed, Leader of Maldives Development Alliance. The Presidential Delegation also include the Minister of Foreign Affairs, H.E. Ms. Dunya Maumoon, Minister at the President's Office, H.E. Mr. Mohamed Hussain Shareef, Minister of Health and Gender, H.E. Dr. Mariyam Shakeela, Minister of Economic Development, H.E. Mr. Mohamed Saeed, Minister of Tourism, H.E. Mr. Ahmed Adheeb Abdul Ghafoor, State Minister for Youth and Sports, H.E. Mr. Mohamed Ghassan Maumoon and Foreign Secretary, Dr. Ali Naseer Mohamed.
