His Excellency President Dr Mohamed Muizzu and First Lady Sajidha Mohamed have returned to Malé following the successful conclusion of the State Visit to Sri Lanka, undertaken at the invitation of His Excellency Anura Kumara Disanayaka, President of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka.
The State Visit, held from 3 to 6 May 2026, included a wide-ranging programme of official, ceremonial, and community engagements.
During the visit, President Dr Muizzu held official talks with President Disanayaka, focusing on further strengthening the longstanding bilateral relations between the Maldives and Sri Lanka and identifying new avenues for cooperation. The two leaders also witnessed the exchange of several Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) covering key areas including youth development, archiving cooperation, tourism, prevention of violent extremism, academic cooperation in the defence and health sectors, and the training and professional development of school teachers. Following the official talks, both Presidents delivered press statements.
To commemorate the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries, the two Presidents also participated in a tree planting ceremony at Vihara Mahadevi Park.
Beyond the official talks, several senior Sri Lankan officials paid courtesy calls on the President, including the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka, Honourable Dr Harini Amarasuriya, the Speaker of Parliament, Honourable Dr Jagath Wickramaratne, MP, and the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism of Sri Lanka, Honourable Vijitha Herath, MP. These engagements reaffirmed the shared commitment to deepening cooperation between the two countries.
President Dr Muizzu also delivered the Keynote Address at the Maldives–Sri Lanka Business Forum, where he encouraged greater participation from Sri Lankan investors, emphasising the importance of enhancing two-way investment flows. In addition, he attended the launch of Maldives Industrial Fisheries Company (MIFCO) products in Sri Lanka, marking the expansion of its value-added fisheries product line to regional markets.
The President and First Lady attended the State Banquet hosted in their honour by President Disanayaka, and also visited the High Commission of the Maldives, the Maldives Cultural Centre, and the Colombo National Museum.
As part of the First Lady's official engagements, she visited the Lady Ridgeway Hospital for Children, where she toured the orthopaedic, plastic surgery, and paediatric surgery wards, and interacted with patients. She also visited the Good Market Sri Lanka Office, which showcases women-led businesses, and engaged directly with entrepreneurs. The Mayor of Colombo, Ms Vraîe Cally Balthazaar, also hosted the First Lady for a Sri Lankan tea experience.
The President and First Lady also met with members of the Maldivian community residing in Colombo. The engagement was followed by a dinner hosted in their honour by the High Commissioner of the Maldives to Sri Lanka.
This was President Dr Muizzu's first State Visit to Sri Lanka since assuming office in November 2023. The visit followed the State Visit of President Disanayaka to the Maldives from 28 to 30 July 2025, which commemorated the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries.
A high-level delegation comprising Cabinet Ministers and senior Government officials accompanied the President and First Lady throughout the visit.
