President of Maldives Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has departed on a three-day unofficial visit to Sri Lanka, according to Maldivian media.

President’s Spokesperson Ibrahim Hoodh revealed that the visit will conclude within three days and President Solih will return to Maldives on 06th January.

This is the first time President Solih is visiting Sri Lanka after assuming office in November. He has however visited Sri Lanka after winning the September election, before taking oath of office.

President Solih’s first state visit since assuming office was to India, on the 16th of December.

This visit comes at a time the Sri Lankan Ambassador paid a courtesy call on President Solih on Thursday morning, where both discusses areas of mutual cooperation and interest to further enhance existing diplomatic ties.

President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih and the Ambassador of Sri Lanka to Maldives, Major General (Retd) B.R.W.M.R.A.B Thoradeniya, discussed strengthening commercial ties between Maldives and Sri Lanka.

During the ambassador’s courtesy call at the President’s Office on Thursday, President Solih declared that Sri Lanka remains one of the strongest friends and development partners of Maldives.

He expressed appreciation for the friendly ties between the two South Asian neighbours since the establishment of diplomatic relations 54 years ago.

According to the President’s Office, President Solih further conveyed gratitude for the contributions made by Sri Lankan nationals to the island nation, as well as the hospitality accorded by the Sri Lankan government to over 10,000 Maldivians who reside in the country.

In turn, Ambassador Thoradeniya highlighted the large Sri Lankan expatriate community in Maldives, attributing it to the archipelago’s “attractive professional environment”.

The ambassador further hailed President Solih’s victory in the Presidential Election last year as a “triumph of the people’s will”.

-Agencies