PM Anwar’s First Visit To Maldives Expected To Give New Impetus To Bilateral Ties

By Mohd Fharkhan Abdul Ghapar

MALÉ (Maldives), Sept 14 (Bernama) -- Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s official visit to the Maldives is expected to give fresh impetus to Malaysia-Maldives bilateral ties, while providing opportunities to expand cooperation in trade and investment, education, tourism, defence and Islamic affairs.

Malaysian High Commissioner to Sri Lanka and the Maldives Badli Hisham Adam said Anwar’s inaugural two-day official visit to the republic, beginning today, would focus on strengthening existing cooperation and exploring new areas of potential benefit to both countries.

He said the Prime Minister and Maldives President Dr Mohamed Muizzu would assess the progress of bilateral relations and exchange views on regional and international issues of common interest.

“Both leaders will assess the long-standing bilateral cooperation between the two countries and explore new areas of cooperation in various fields, particularly trade and investment, education, tourism, defence and Islamic affairs,” he told Malaysian media ahead of the Anwar’s visit here.

Anwar and Muizzu are also scheduled to witness the exchange of memoranda of understanding (MoUs) on defence cooperation and Islamic affairs.

Badli Hisham said the visit, which is a reciprocal visit following Muizzu’s official visit to Malaysia in April 2025, would lay a stronger foundation for expanding more dynamic, progressive and forward-looking bilateral cooperation.

As part of the visit, Anwar will be accorded an official welcoming ceremony at Republic Square here before holding a tête-à-tête with Muizzu, followed by a meeting between delegations from both countries.

The two leaders are then scheduled to hold a joint press conference, with the highlight of the visit being an official luncheon hosted by Muizzu in honour of the Prime Minister.

Malaysia and the Maldives established diplomatic relations in 1968, with both countries remaining committed to deepening bilateral ties, strengthening economic cooperation and fostering closer people-to-people relations.

The Maldives was Malaysia’s sixth-largest trading partner in South Asia in 2025, while also ranking sixth as both a destination for Malaysian exports and a source of Malaysian imports in the region, with total bilateral trade valued at RM792 million.

Malaysia’s exports to the Maldives amounted to RM786.2 million, with petroleum products accounting for 31.6 per cent of total exports.

-- BERNAMA