His Excellency President Dr Mohamed Muizzu returned to Male' following his official visit to the Republic of Estonia, at the invitation of His Excellency Dr Alar Karis, President of the Republic of Estonia. This historic visit marks the first official visit by a Maldivian President to Estonia.
On the first day of his arrival, the Government of Estonia held an Official Welcoming Ceremony at the Presidential Palace in Kadriorg. During this ceremony, Their Excellencies, President Dr Muizzu and President Dr Karis, inspected the Guard of Honour, and the Presidents then took a commemorative photo. Following the ceremony, the two Presidents held a tête-à-tête, and held a meeting to discuss potential areas of collaboration and enhance bilateral relations.
During the visit, the President held fruitful discussions with key Estonian leaders, including the President, the President of Parliament, Ministers, the Mayor of Tartu, representatives from Academia, and heads of other prominent institutions. These meetings focused on exploring avenues for mutually beneficial collaborations. The Government of Estonia, and other institutions expressed their readiness to support and partner with the Maldives.
In this regard, three Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) were signed during the trip. These include:
1. MoU between the Government of Maldives and the Government of Estonia on knowledge exchange, cooperation, and support in the fields of climate change, environment, and energy.
2. MoU between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Maldives and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Estonia on Political Consultation.
3. MoU between the Ministry of Homeland Security and Technology of Republic of Maldives and the Ministry of Justice and Digital Affairs of the Republic of Estonia.
As part of the visit, President Dr Muizzu visited several significant and cultural sites in Estonia. These included the e-Estonia Briefing Centre, PoCo Pop and Contemporary Art Museum, Tartu Town Hall, University of Tartu, the Estonian Biobank, the Estonian National Museum (ERM), and Greenergy Data Centers. During these visits, representatives from the institutions provided insights into their operations and discussed potential avenues for collaboration.
This visit has greatly contributed towards realising the digital transformation of the Maldives envisioned by President Dr Muizzu. It has also enhanced efforts to build climate resilience and strengthened the resolve of both countries to collaborate in mutually beneficial areas at multilateral platforms. Throughout his presidency, President Dr Muizzu has prioritised forging international partnerships that drive the digital and sustainable development of the Maldives.