Former Sri Lankan Prime Minister pays courtesy call on the Vice President 04 December 2021

H.E. Ranil Wickremesinghe, the former Prime Minister of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, has paid a courtesy call on H.E. Vice President Faisal Naseem. The meeting was held on the sidelines of the fifth Indian Ocean Conference (IOC) 2021. The Vice President is in the UAE to attend the inauguration of IOC 2021 as the Guest of Honour.

During the meeting, the Vice President and the former Prime Minister spoke about the situation of Covid-19 and how the two countries are gradually recovering from the pandemic.

The Vice President expressed his gratitude for the generous hospitality extended to the Maldivian population residing in Sri Lanka and highlighted Sri Lanka's contribution to the Maldives' education sector, including vocational training and the health sector. Highlighting Maldives' efforts to address climate change, the Vice President stated that Maldives is investing immensely in environmental protection and that it is time for the whole world to take action.

The former Prime Minister also inquired about the progress of tourism in the Maldives. The Vice President noted that the tourism sector is slowly recovering after the pandemic.

The Vice President is accompanied on the visit to the UAE by a high-level delegation from the President's Office and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He would conclude his visit and return on Wednesday, December 8, 2021.