The governments of the Maldives and Bhutan have held discussions on enhancing collaboration on areas of mutual interest to the two countries. The discussions were held during the meeting held between President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih and the new Ambassador of Bhutan to the Maldives Rinchen Kuentsyl, following the presentation of his letter of credence to the president.
Welcoming and congratulating the ambassador on his new appointment, President Solih emphasised that the Maldives regards Bhutan as an important bilateral partner and that it would continue to cooperate in areas of common interest. The president acknowledged that the Maldives and Bhutan have yet to realise the full potential of their partnership and stated that the Maldives treasures its longstanding relationship with Bhutan and looks forward to further engagement.
Speaking with the president, Ambassador Kuentsyl noted that the Maldives and Bhutan are both susceptible to climate change and expressed his desire to work closely with the Maldives on this front. He also praised the president for his exceptional management of the COVID-19 epidemic and the Maldives’ rapid tourism recovery.
Speaking at the meeting, President Solih added that the Maldives looks forward to working with Bhutan to expand tourism, combat climate change, and explore prospects for healthcare professionals and youth and sports cooperation. Highlighting the importance for both countries of stability, peace, security, and development in the South Asian region, the president expressed his desire to collaborate closely with Bhutan within the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) framework and other regional international fora.