The key agreements signed between the government of Maldives and the Kingdom of Bahrain have proved the commitment of both countries to further solidify bilateral ties, says Minister of Foreign Affairs Abdulla Shahid.

He said this during a joint press conference held alongside Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Bahrain Dr. Abdullatif bin Rashid Al-Zayani on Thursday, regarding President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih’s ongoing state visit to the country.

Shedding light on the important highlights of the visit, FM Shahid noted that the president met with the King of Bahrain, Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa at the Qudaibiya Palace on Thursday where discussions revolved around the close existing cooperation and exploring new avenues for future cooperation.

The leaders also engaged in talks on strengthening cooperation in the economic, trade and investment fields, supporting the role of the private sector in economic growth and enhancing people-to-people contact through travel, trade and commerce.

The Maldivian leader also met with Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister as well as other senior officials of the Kingdom of Bahrain.

Four key agreements were signed between the two governments on Thursday. FM Shahid described this to have mirrored the commitment of both countries to further strengthen relations.

The foreign minister also discussed the Air Services Agreement between the two countries, Bahrain’s decision to include Maldives as a sea-to-air partner as well as the decision to grant Maldives sovereignty over the data of its beneficiaries in Bahrain-based data centers.

The joint Bahrain-Maldives tourist packages with potential subsidy from Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority (BTEA) with Maldivian tour operators was also touched down on, during the presser.

Shedding light on the cooperation between the two countries at the multilateral front, FM Shahid noted that the leaders of both countries have condemned terrorism in all its manifestations and remain committed to fight against terrorism, as well as transnational organized crime and enhancing cyber security.

Further, he highlighted that the two countries are on the same page on issues such as the importance of ensuring maritime security and trade freedom as well as the need to intensify efforts to reach a just settlement of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.

Appreciating the decision of the Bahraini government to withdraw its candidature to the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) for the term 2023-2025 in favor of the Maldives, FM Shahid noted the country’s active role and positive contributions during its three terms as a member of the UNHRC, stating that it reflected the importance Bahrain placed on the promotion of human rights.

FM Shahid also noted that President Solih remains grateful to the King for the warm welcome and wonderful hospitality accorded to the Maldivian delegation, adding that the Maldivian First Couple is honored to visit Manama as the first ever State visit by a Maldivian Head of State to the Kingdom of Bahrain.

The Maldivian foreign minister also recapped on President Solih's invitation to the King, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister to visit the Maldives at their earliest convenience.

The foreign minister also thanked the respective dignitaries for bringing the two countries together and went on to reaffirm that the Maldivian government is committed to solidifying the relationship between both countries, to new heights.