President of Sri Lanka Maithripala Sirisena reassured of unwavering commitment and support towards Maldives. The Sri Lankan president made the statement during the bilateral talks held as part of the state visit to Sri Lanka by President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih.
During his visit, President Solih led a delegation of Maldivian dignitaries in bilateral talks with their Sri Lankan counterparts, led by President Sirisena. At the meeting, describing the Maldives as a close friend and neighbour, President Solih noted the manifold contributions made by Sri Lanka towards the Maldives and expressed desire for further cooperation on mutually beneficial areas.
Both presidents emphasised the importance of building on existing partnerships encompassing such areas as economics and trade, fisheries, health, tourism, environment and especially climate change, to which island nations such as the Maldives and Sri Lanka remain particularly vulnerable. They further agreed both countries confront similar social ills such as those associated with the use and trafficking of illicit drugs, which can only be met by sustained collaborative efforts.
President Solih highlighted regional cooperation is an important priority for his administration. The same sentiment was reiterated by President Sirisena who stressed on the importance of working together in maintaining regional security. He further emphasised that it is imperative that all South Asian countries must work together to ensure peace and safety of the region.