President Dr Mohamed Muizzu and First Lady Sajidha Mohamed are scheduled to depart for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on Monday, 6 April 2026, to perform Umrah, in a visit that reflects the continued spiritual significance of the holy journey for the Maldivian leadership and the enduring warmth in relations between the Maldives and Saudi Arabia.
All hospitality and related expenses for the visit will be covered by the Government of Saudi Arabia, with arrangements for the trip having been finalised in February 2026. The visit comes as another notable moment in the close and longstanding friendship between the two countries, a relationship that Maldivian officials have described as being rooted in shared Islamic values, history and a strong sense of brotherhood.
This will mark the second time President Muizzu has travelled to Saudi Arabia to perform Umrah under Saudi hospitality. In May 2024, President Muizzu and First Lady Sajidha Mohamed travelled to the Kingdom to undertake Umrah on the hospitality of King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, before returning to Malé after completing the pilgrimage.
The upcoming journey also follows the First Lady’s pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia last year, when she travelled with President Muizzu to perform Hajj in 2025. That visit further underscored the importance attached to religious observance in the President’s official engagements, while also highlighting the strong support and hospitality extended by Saudi Arabia to the Maldivian delegation.
For global readers, the visit presents a meaningful picture of the Maldives’ relationship with Saudi Arabia through the lens of faith, diplomacy and mutual respect. It highlights how spiritual ties continue to complement broader bilateral relations, while reinforcing the shared Islamic connection that remains an important pillar of cooperation between the two nations.
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