President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, on Monday, hosted an official luncheon in honour of Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe at Kurumba Maldives.
During the feast, President Solih highlighted "deep" and "enduring" ties between the two neighbouring countries, adding that substantial contributions were made by the Prime Minister to strengthen relations as one of Sri Lanka’s top statesmen.
Moreover, President Solih remarked on the longstanding historical and cultural links between the nations, stating that bilateral relations have "flourished well into modern times".
President Solih further stressed the importance of the upcoming 4th Indian Ocean Conference 2019 (IOC 2019), set to be held in Maldives from September 3 - 4, at Paradise Island Resort.
In this conference chaired by Prime Minister Wickremesinghe, representatives from 35 countries will thematically focus on traditional and non-traditional security threats of the Indian Ocean, allowing countries to explore opportunites for further engagement and collaboration within the region.
Highlighting an area of pressing concern, President Solih conveyed his condolences to the victims and affected families in the recent Easter bombings, a brutal terrorist attack which claimed over 250 innocent lives, emphasizing the dire need for the international community to combat the threat of religious extremism.
To conclude, President Solih stated that he hopes the official trip would elevate current relations to new heights.
Prior to the luncheon, Professor Maithree Wickremesinghe, the spouse of Sri Lankan Prime Minister, called on First Lady Fazna Ahmed at the presidential palace of 'Mulee’aage'.
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