First Couple concludes state visit to Bahrain

The Maldivian First Couple has concluded their state visit to Bahrain.

President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih and First Lady Fazna Ahmed concluded their official state visit to the Kingdom of Bahrain on Saturday evening and returned in the early hours of Sunday.

The state visit came upon the official invitation of the King of Bahrain, Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa.

The First Couple departed on the trip on October 5 and a guard of honor was accorded to them upon arrival, by the Bahrain Defence Force.

On October 6, the First Couple was welcomed by the King at the Al-Qudaibiya Palace, where the two leaders engaged in bilateral discussions.

Discussions were also held between President Solih and Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Crown Prince, Deputy Supreme Commander and Prime Minister of Bahrain.

As part of the trip, the Maldivian president and the King of Bahrain also engaged in a one-on-one meeting.

Following this, the president observed the signing of four key agreements, along the Bahraini king.

Cabinet ministers and senior officials from both countries engaged in bilateral discussions, with Minister of Foreign Affairs Abdulla Shahid and the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Bahrain Dr. Abdullatif bin Rashid Al-Zayani hosting a joint press conference on Thursday evening.

Thursday afternoon saw the king hosting a luncheon in honor of the First Couple and the Maldivian delegation.

During the visit, the president also visited the Bahrain Economic Development Board (EDB) on Thursday and sat down with Sheikh Khalid bin Abdulla Al Khalifa, the Deputy Prime Minister and the Chairman of Bahrain Mumtalakat Holding Company.

Sheikh Khalid hosted a dinner reception for the Maldivian First Couple and the delegation they led.

The Maldivian leader also met with the senior management of Bahrain Telecommunications Company (Batelco) on Friday.

First Lady Fazna paid a courtesy call on Princess Sabeeka bint Ibrahim Al Khalifa, the wife of the King of Bahrain and the President of the Supreme Council for Women. She also met with the Secretary General of the Supreme Council for Women of Bahrain, Hala Mohammed Jaber Al Ansari.

FL Fazna visited the King Hamad University Hospital (KHUH) and the Bahrain Institute for Pearls and Gemstones (DANAT) on Friday and joined the president in a tour of the Bahrain National Museum and Beit Al-Quran Facility.

This recent visit marks the first time a Maldivian Head of State made a state visit to Bahrain.