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Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu plans Pakistan visit for October 20–22

Pakistan says the three-day state visit will include talks with its leaders and a business forum as the countries mark 60 years of diplomatic ties.

Mohamed Muizzu at his presidential inauguration in the Maldives.
Mohamed Muizzu at his inauguration as president of the Maldives on 17 November 2023; file photograph. The President's Office of the Republic of Maldives — The President's Office, Maldives — Inaugural ceremony of the 8th President of the Maldives Dr. Mohamed Muizzu (5) (resized and converted to WebP). CC BY 4.0.Image sourceImage licence: CC BY 4.0
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Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu is scheduled to make a three-day state visit to Pakistan from October 20 to 22 at Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s invitation, Dawn reported, citing Pakistan’s Foreign Office announcement on October 18. The planned trip would bring the two governments together for talks on trade, investment and other areas of cooperation.

Muizzu is due to meet Pakistan’s President Asif Ali Zardari, who is expected to host a state banquet in his honour. He is also scheduled to hold restricted and delegation-level talks with Sharif, according to the Foreign Office. The visit will be his first to Pakistan as a Maldivian president in 11 years, the ministry said.

What Muizzu and Sharif plan to discuss

The Foreign Office said the leaders would review bilateral relations and explore cooperation in trade, investment, health, education, tourism and agriculture. Defence, maritime security, climate change and exchanges between people are also on the agenda. The two sides are expected to discuss regional and international developments of mutual interest.

A Pakistan–Maldives Business Forum is planned during the visit to bring together business communities and explore trade and investment opportunities, the ministry said. It also expects the countries to sign agreements and memorandums of understanding covering areas of bilateral cooperation. The ministry did not specify which agreements would be signed.

Pakistan and Maldives mark 60 years of diplomatic ties

The visit is scheduled as the countries mark 60 years since establishing diplomatic relations in 1966, according to Pakistan’s Foreign Office. That anniversary also appeared in an August 14 message from Muizzu to Sharif: the Maldives President’s Office said he noted it while sending Pakistan’s prime minister Independence Day greetings.

The President’s Office said Muizzu also sent Independence Day greetings to Zardari. The August messages show the anniversary had already featured in the two governments’ exchanges before Pakistan announced the October visit. The meetings, forum and proposed agreements remain scheduled parts of the trip, rather than completed outcomes.

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