Sri Lanka’s High Commissioner to the Maldives, Mohamed Rizvi Hassen, has publicly expressed profound gratitude for Maldivian assistance following the devastating Cyclone Ditwah, stating that the Maldives was the very first country to respond to Sri Lanka's request for aid.
High Commissioner Rizvi made the remarks while speaking at the “Ceylon aa Eku Dhivehin” telethon, an ongoing media-backed initiative by PSM aimed at raising funds to help the victims displaced by the heavy damage caused by the cyclone.
Highlighting the strong bilateral ties, the High Commissioner emphasised that the Maldives has always been the quickest to express solidarity with Sri Lanka during times of crisis. He specifically thanked the government and the people for their swift action and cooperation.
"Thank you for your closeness and cooperation. Especially thank you for the initiative and guidance of President Dr Mohamed Muizzu," he said stated.
High Commissioner Rizvi also highlighted that under the direction of the Maldivian President, the Foreign Ministry swiftly announced plans to provide both financial resources and aid aimed at immediately securing the safety and basic needs of the affected Sri Lankan population.
He underscored that the brotherly relations between the two countries are unwavering. Given their shared environmental vulnerability, he stressed that the future agenda must include joint efforts on the international stage to combat climate change and raise awareness of environmental dangers among developed countries.