Vice President Uz Hussain Mohamed Latheef met with the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence of Australia, Richard Marles MP, at the President’s Office on Monday, for high-level discussions focused on strengthening bilateral cooperation between the Maldives and Australia.

The meeting provided a platform to explore avenues for enhanced defence collaboration, with both sides exchanging views on reinforcing regional security partnerships.

The dialogue also extended to tourism, an area of mutual interest. The leaders acknowledged opportunities to promote sustainable tourism in order to supporting economic growth while preserving cultural and environmental assets.

Environmental protection was identified as another area of cooperation. Both parties reaffirmed their commitment to tackling climate change, highlighting the importance of joint action, particularly for vulnerable island nations like the Maldives.

The meeting concluded with a mutual reaffirmation of the enduring diplomatic ties between the two countries. Both leaders expressed their intent to advance strategic cooperation on shared priorities, including security, sustainable development, and climate resilience.