The Prime Minister of Sri Lanka, His Excellency Ranil Wickremesinghe, has concluded his Official Visit to the Maldives and has departed from Velana International Airport this morning.

The visit proved to be a highly productive one.

During his visit to the Maldives, the Prime Minister engaged in one on one discussions with His Excellency President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih. Further, the President and Prime Minister jointly presided over Official Talks, with senior officials from the Maldivian and Sri Lankan Government present.

Further, the Prime Minister and President presided over an agreement exchange ceremony formalizing the Maldives’ and Sri Lanka’s increased cooperation in the fields of higher education, social cooperation and youth development, through 1 agreement and 3 memoranda of understanding. The renewed agreement on Visa arrangement, which will make it easier for business entrepreneurs from both countries to travel to the other for business purposes, and facilitate multiple entry visas for the parents and legal guardians of Maldivian studying in Sri Lanka.

Following the agreement exchange ceremony, the President and Prime Minister delivered a Joint Press Statement recapitulating the main areas of collaboration between Sri Lanka and the Maldives and highlighting the friendly ties that have always endured between our two peoples.

The Sri Lankan Prime Minister also chaired the 4th edition of the Indian Ocean Conference (IOC), which commenced at Paradise Island Resort yesterday, and invited senior dignitaries from across the Indian Ocean Region to deliberate on the main security threats and challenges confronting the region.