The Maldivian first couple has attended a banquet hosted by The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall on behalf of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.

President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih and First Lady Fazna Ahmed joined the heads of delegations from the Commonwealth nations for the banquet on Friday.

The Maldivian first couple is currently on an official visit to Rwanda to attend the 26th Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) 2022.

The president departed from Velana International Airport (VIA) on Wednesday and arrived in Rwanda on Thursday.

The Maldivian president was received by the Minister of Local Government, Jean Marie Vianney Gatabazi upon his arrival at Kigali International Airport.

According to the President’s Office, the president’s visit to Rwanda mirrors the incumbent administration’s commitment to engage with the international community, especially with the Commonwealth member states, in promoting democracy, human rights, good governance, multilateralism and world peace.

The incumbent administration seeks to engage in the exchange of expertise and assistance with regard to building inclusive, resilient and environmentally conscious communities through such multilateral forums.

President Solih is scheduled to hold bilateral meetings with other world leaders to strengthen the Maldives’ role in the international community, advance its shared interests, and contribute to resolving global issues on the sidelines of the meeting.

The world leaders will also be engaging in private discussions at the Commonwealth Leaders Retreat, regarding collaboration on the global platform and Commonwealth priorities.

CHOGM 2022 is the first meeting to be held since the island nation rejoined to the Commonwealth of Nations on 1 February 2020.