President Dr Mohamed Muizzu has commended his official visit to Estonia as a critical milestone in advancing his administration's vision of transforming the Maldives into a digitalised nation. Speaking to PSM News prior to his departure, President Dr Muizzu reflected on the importance of the visit, which began on 13 January at the invitation of Estonian President Dr Alar Karis.
The primary objective of the visit was to gain insights into Estonia's advanced digital sector and explore potential collaborations, according to the president. He described the visit as historic, noting it marked the first time a sitting Maldivian president had visited Estonia.
The most notable achievement of the visit, according to President Dr Muizzu, was the opportunity to observe and comprehend the digitalisation efforts of one of the world's leading countries in this sector. He underscored that his administration's manifesto is committed to transforming the Maldives into a digitalised nation.
President Dr Muizzu underscored that the visit offered an invaluable opportunity to learn from and engage with experts in the field of digitalisation. He expressed his gratitude for the significant assistance extended by Estonian President Dr Karis and officials from the Estonian government and related sectors.
"How this country [Estonia] has successfully achieved its digitalisation efforts was thoroughly understood. The challenges they faced and the advancements they achieved in other areas were comprehensively grasped," President Dr Muizzu said while highlighting the achievements of the visit.
During the visit, three memoranda of understanding (MoU) were signed between the Maldives and Estonia. President Dr Muizzu highlighted that, similar to the Maldives, Estonia also faces the challenges and dangers of climate change. Consequently, an agreement was signed between the two nations to collaborate on mitigating the negative impacts of climate change, he said.
Throughout his visit, President Dr Muizzu engaged in high-level discussions with several prominent figures of the Estonian government, including Kristina Kallas, Minister of Education and Research; Yoko Alender, Minister of Climate; and Riina Sikkut, Minister of Health.