Strengthening a partnership rooted in more than five decades of mutual respect and shared Islamic heritage, Maldivian Foreign Minister Dr. Abdulla Khaleel has concluded a comprehensive official visit to the Arab Republic of Egypt. The visit, held at the invitation of Egypt’s Foreign Minister Dr. Badr Ahmed Mohamed Abdelatty, focused on expanding cooperation in key areas such as trade, investment, education, tourism, and political coordination.
The official programme commenced on 17 October and featured a series of high-level meetings between Minister Khaleel and senior Egyptian officials. These discussions aimed at enhancing economic, political, and cultural collaboration between the two countries. The visit was particularly notable for reaffirming the close diplomatic relationship that has flourished over decades, underpinned by shared religious and educational values.
Among the major highlights of the visit was Minister Khaleel’s bilateral meeting with his Egyptian counterpart Dr. Abdelatty. The ministers held detailed discussions on enhancing cooperation across several domains of national interest. According to the Maldivian Foreign Ministry, the meeting focused on facilitating greater bilateral trade, promoting tourism exchange, attracting Egyptian investment into the Maldives, and increasing collaboration in education and capacity-building.
Minister Khaleel also met with the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar Al-Sharif, His Eminence Dr. Ahmed El-Tayeb, a central figure in global Islamic scholarship. The courtesy call provided an opportunity to discuss shared cultural and religious values, particularly the role of Islamic education and scholarship in nurturing moderation and peace. The discussions included proposals to strengthen collaboration between the Maldives and Al-Azhar in areas such as educational exchange programmes, scholarships for Maldivian students, and enhanced training opportunities in Islamic sciences.
In addition to religious and educational partnerships, Minister Khaleel used the platform to brief Egyptian officials on the Maldives’ current economic agenda. He outlined national efforts to diversify the economy by expanding into non-traditional sectors and highlighted the country’s ongoing strategies for ensuring long-term, sustainable development. The Maldivian government is actively seeking international investment in sectors such as infrastructure, tourism, health, and trade—areas where Egypt has expressed growing interest in participating.
A pivotal moment during the visit was the signing of a formal agreement to enhance political cooperation between the two countries. The newly signed accord builds upon initiatives first introduced in 2019 and establishes a more structured framework for ongoing diplomatic engagement and capacity development. According to the Maldivian Foreign Ministry, this agreement signals a continued commitment to building institutional linkages between the governments.
Minister Khaleel also dedicated time to engage directly with the Maldivian community residing in Egypt, particularly students pursuing higher education. In a special session, he listened to their concerns and reaffirmed the government’s commitment to supporting their academic journey. The interaction highlighted the importance of Egypt as a major destination for Maldivian students, especially in the fields of Islamic studies, medicine, and engineering.
Throughout the visit, the Maldivian delegation—comprising Minister Khaleel, Foreign Secretary Dr. Hala Hameed, and Additional Secretary Khadeeja Najeeha—underscored the government’s foreign policy objective of building broad-based international partnerships. Egypt, a country with deep cultural ties to the Maldives, remains a vital partner in this vision, particularly in the areas of knowledge exchange, religious cooperation, and economic development.
As Maldives continues to diversify its global partnerships, this diplomatic mission is expected to pave the way for more dynamic collaboration with Egypt. The outcomes of the visit not only reaffirm historical ties but also set the stage for deeper engagement in support of the Maldives’ long-term development goals and international visibility, particularly within the Islamic world.
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