The new Ambassador of Switzerland to Maldives, Dominik Furgler has expressed keenness to collaborate with the government of Maldives in facilitating investment opportunities for Swiss companies.

During a ceremony held at the President's Office on Monday, the new Swiss Ambassador presented his Letters of Credence to President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, after which the pair engaged in extensive discussions.

As such, highlighting that his administration attaches high priority to improve trade and investments between both countries, the Maldivian president extended invitation for Swiss companies to invest in the island nation.

With this being said, the new Swiss Ambassador expressed his keen interest to work closely with the government of Maldives, to facilitate opportunities for investors in Switzerland.

Going on to assert that Switzerland has remained an important bilateral partner to the Maldives, President Solih stated that Maldives wishes to expand its tourist markets in Europe, as the sector plays  a significant role in the development of the country.

Further speaking, Ambassador Furgler revealed that Maldives is a popular tourist destination for Switzerland, announcing that direct flight operations from Switzerland to the Maldives are expected to resume soon.

Discussions also revolved around avenues for cooperation including climate change, environmental advocacy, decentralization, Covid-19 management, tourism as well as the facilitation of visa-free travel for Maldivians travelling to Europe.

Shedding light on the Maldivian government’s interest in exploring high education scholarship opportunities for locals, the president expressed commitment to strengthen the long-standing bilateral ties between the two countries.