President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has departed on an unofficial visit to Dubai, UAE.
The UAE has been a significant development partner of the Maldives since the late 1970s, providing donations to the country and funding various government projects through the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development (ADFD). On March 9, 2020, the Maldives and ADFD signed a memorandum of understanding granting 50 million US dollars as budget support to the Maldives.
Further, Velana International Airport (VIA) and Maafaru International Airport development projects are key infrastructure projects funded by the UAE.
Additionally, the visit to the UAE is the second unofficial trip President Solih has taken during the holidays. President Solih and First Lady Fazna Ahmed departed on an unofficial visit to Sri Lanka on July 19 and paid a courtesy call on the President of Sri Lanka Gotabaya Rajapaksa before returning on July 23.
President Solih is scheduled to return to the Maldives on July 31 after concluding his visit to the UAE, according to the President's Office.