Minister of Foreign Affairs Abdulla Shahid departed Tuesday on an official visit to Sri Lanka.
According to the ministry, Shahid will call on Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, Speaker Karu Jayasuriya, and opposition leader and MP Mahinda Rajapaksa during his visit.
The minister's visit comes in the wake of the Easter terror attacks across Sri Lanka on April 21, that killed 253 people and injured 500 others.
Following the bombings, Sri Lankan authorities have heightened security measures, including the tightening of the nation's residence visa policy.
The minister assured in a tweet late Tuesday that he will discuss the new changes to the residence visa regime, along with other concerns, with the prime minister, expressing confidence that a solution can be reached.
Will be meeting PM @RW_UNP and Sri Lankan leadership tomorrow and discuss the newly introduced changes to the resident visa regime as well as other issues of common concerns. I’m confident that we will find solutions based on the trust between our two peoples and Governments! https://t.co/IuRgY4tqMC
— Abdulla Shahid 🎈 (@abdulla_shahid) May 7, 2019
Minister Shahid further reiterated that the people and government of Maldives will always remain in solidarity with Sri Lanka.
Around 15,000 Maldivians, who currently reside in Sri Lanka for educational and medical purposes, live in fear after the terror attacks. Some Maldivian individuals, who were overstaying despite expired visas, have been arrested amid the raids and inspections carried out by Sri Lankan authorities.
President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih also sent a special envoy on his behalf to Sri Lanka in the wake of the attacks.
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