PUTRAJAYA: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and Maldives President Dr Mohamed Muizzu today witnessed the exchange of three Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) and two Exchanges of Notes (EoN), covering various sectors aimed at strengthening cooperation between the two nations in the spirit of mutual benefit.
The ceremony, held at the Perdana Putra building here, was part of Muizzu’s four-day official visit to Malaysia, which began yesterday.
Among the highlights was the signing of MoUs between the Malaysian government and the Maldives in the fields of tourism, sports and health.
The two EoNs exchanged between the countries covered areas of diplomatic training and the establishment of bilateral consultation mechanisms between Malaysia and the Republic of Maldives.
Minister of Youth and Sports Hannah Yeoh and Maldives Foreign Affairs Minister Dr Abdulla Khaleel represented their respective countries in exchanging documents in the field of sport.
Meanwhile, Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad exchanged an MoU on health cooperation with Dr Abdulla Khaleel.
In the field of tourism, Deputy Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture Khairul Firdaus Akbar Khan exchanged an MoU with the High Commissioner of the Republic of Maldives to Malaysia, Dr Mariyam Shabeena Ahmed.
Deputy Foreign Minister Datuk Mohamad Alamin also exchanged an EoN with Mariyam Shabeena.
Tomorrow, Muizzu will be conferred an Honorary Degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Islamic Leadership and Madani Development by the International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM).
The honorary degree will be conferred by Tengku Ampuan Pahang, Tunku Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah, as the Constitutional Head of IIUM.
In conjunction with the conferment, Muizzu is scheduled to deliver a public lecture entitled ‘The Intellectual Renaissance: Unveiling the Scientific and Modern Developments of Islamic Civilisation’.
In 2024, Malaysia’s total trade with the Maldives increased by 4.3 per cent to RM862.7 million (USD189 million) from RM827.3 million (USD180.9 million) in 2023, making the archipelagic nation Malaysia’s sixth-largest trading partner among South Asian countries.
