President Dr Mohamed Muizzu has reflected on the deep-rooted ties between Maldives and Singapore, expressing gratitude for the longstanding friendship and support. He made the remarks at a state banquet hosted in honour of President Muizzu and First Lady Sajidha Mohamed by Singaporean President Shanmugaratnam and First Lady Jane Ittogi Shanmugaratnam, during his ongoing state visit to Singapore.
During the banquet, President Dr Muizzu expressed his gratitude to the government and the people of Singapore for their warm hospitality as he undertakes his first state visit to the country. He noted that the visit commemorates the golden jubilee of diplomatic relations between the Maldives and Singapore.
President Dr Muizzu highlighted that the Maldives–Singapore relationship predates formal diplomatic ties, grounded in longstanding connections through trade, people-to-people exchanges, and shared aspirations as young, independent nations. He also acknowledged Singapore’s consistent generosity, from humanitarian aid during times of crisis to its support in public administration and technical capacity-building.
Concluding his remarks, the President expressed confidence in the potential for deeper bilateral engagement in the future.
In his address, President Shanmugaratnam spoke of the importance of looking ahead as close partners and learning from each other’s strengths, citing the Maldives’ luxury tourism industry and Singapore’s expertise in finance and trade as examples. He welcomed the outcomes of official discussions held during the visit, including the signing of memoranda of understanding. Highlighting the particular vulnerabilities of small island states to global shifts, President Shanmugaratnam stressed the importance of collaboration on international platforms to advocate for shared priorities such as climate resilience and adaptation.
Cabinet ministers and other senior officials from both the Maldivian and Singaporean governments were also in attendance at the banquet.
Prior to the banquet, President Dr Muizzu and President Shanmugaratnam jointly unveiled commemorative stamp designs marking the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the Maldives and Singapore.
The President and First Lady are currently in Singapore on a state visit from 29 June to 2 July 2025.