His Excellency President Dr Mohamed Muizzu and the Director General of the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development (ADFD), His Excellency Mohammed Saif Al Suwaidi, reaffirmed their commitment to further strengthening Maldives–UAE relations during a high-level meeting held on Sunday at the President’s Office. The meeting, held in the context of mutual diplomatic engagement, focused on exploring new areas of bilateral cooperation and celebrating recent milestones in infrastructure development.
President Dr Muizzu extended a warm welcome to Mr Al Suwaidi and his delegation, expressing gratitude for their presence in the Maldives during the country’s 59th Independence Day celebrations and the formal inauguration of the new terminal at Velana International Airport (VIA). The new terminal project is one of the largest infrastructure undertakings in Maldivian history, representing a key advancement in the nation’s tourism and aviation sectors. Mr Al Suwaidi expressed his pleasure at witnessing the successful completion of the terminal and highlighted the role of development partnerships in supporting such transformative projects.
The Director General’s visit underscores the longstanding cooperation between the Maldives and the ADFD, which has historically played a vital role in supporting Maldives’ sustainable development goals through concessional loans and grant assistance in priority sectors such as infrastructure, energy, water security, and housing.
During the meeting, both sides engaged in detailed discussions on expanding collaboration across key sectors. Emphasis was placed on identifying new opportunities in development financing, project implementation, and institutional partnerships to enhance the Maldives’ economic resilience and improve the standard of living for its citizens. The exchange also reflected mutual interest in aligning future development initiatives with shared values of progress, sustainability, and regional stability.
The discussions concluded on a positive note, with both President Dr Muizzu and Mr Al Suwaidi reaffirming their dedication to strengthening bilateral ties and working together to address shared goals. The Director General reiterated ADFD’s readiness to support future projects that align with the Maldives’ national development agenda, particularly those aimed at improving public services and diversifying the economy.
This latest high-level engagement marks another step forward in the Maldives’ deepening relationship with the United Arab Emirates, a partnership built on decades of mutual respect and cooperation. As the Maldives continues to expand its tourism, transport, and public infrastructure capacities, close collaboration with development partners such as the ADFD remains critical to achieving long-term national objectives.
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