President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom is to leave on a state visit to Sri Lanka on Tuesday. The President’s trip is in reply to an invitation extended by President of Sri Lanka Mahinda Rajapaksa in early December.
President Yameen’s visit is scheduled from the 21st to the 23rd of January, 2014. President’s Office said the President Yameen will be accompanied by First Lady Madam Fathimath Ibrahim Didi and a high-level delegation.
During the Visit, President Yameen will hold one-to-one deliberations with President Rajapaksa on charting the course for future Maldives-Sri Lanka bilateral ties. The two presidents will lead Official Bilateral Talks between senior delegations of the two countries. President Yameen will also meet with selected members of the Sri Lankan Cabinet.
An official Welcoming Ceremony will be held at the Presidential Secretariat. President Rajapaksa and Sri Lankan First Lady Madam Shirathi Rajapaksa will also host President Yameen and First Lady Madam Fathimath Ibrahim Didi for a state luncheon at the President’s House.
During his stay, President Yameen is scheduled to meet the Maldivian community in Sri Lanka. According to the President’s Office, a Business Forum organized by the Sri Lankan-Maldivian Business Council will also be held as part of President Yameen’s state visit. The Forum, to discuss ways to enhance business and investment ties between Maldives and Sri Lanka, will be attended by senior business delegations of both countries.