The new ambassador of the Kingdom of Bhutan to the Republic of Maldives presented his credentials to the President of Maldives on Monday.

The new ambassador of Bhutan Rinchen Kuentsyl presented his letter of credence to President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih in a ceremony held at the President's Office.

President Solih welcomed and congratulated the ambassador on his appointment and emphasized that the Maldives regards Bhutan as an important bilateral partner.

President Solih stated that Maldives would continue to cooperate with Bhutan in areas of common interest.

The President acknowledged that the Maldives and Bhutan have yet to realize the full potential of their partnership and stated that the Maldives treasures its longstanding relationship with Bhutan and looks forward to further engagement.

Additionally, the President stated 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.

President Solih expressed his desire to collaborate closely with Bhutan within the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) framework and other regional international fora. He highlighted the importance for both countries of stability, peace, security, and development in the South Asian region.

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 rapid recovery of Maldives’ tourism.