President Dr Mohamed Muizzu and First Lady Sajidha Mohamed on Monday attended a State Banquet hosted by Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Disanayaka as part of their ongoing State Visit to Sri Lanka.

The visit, taking place from 3 to 6 May, includes a series of official engagements aimed at strengthening ties between the Maldives and Sri Lanka.

Addressing the banquet, President Dr Muizzu thanked the Sri Lankan government and its people for the welcome extended to him, the First Lady, and the Maldivian delegation. He described Sri Lanka as a close neighbour with longstanding ties to the Maldives, particularly in areas such as education and healthcare.

He said the visit reflects the longstanding relationship between the two countries and highlighted the importance of expanding cooperation in areas including digital transformation, tourism, renewable energy, education, and ocean conservation.

The President also pointed to shared challenges such as climate change, noting the need for continued cooperation and joint advocacy on issues affecting small island states.

He further highlighted the role of people-to-people connections in shaping bilateral relations and expressed confidence that ties between the Maldives and Sri Lanka would continue to strengthen.

Cabinet Ministers and senior officials from both countries attended the banquet.