President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has met with the President of Malawi and current Chair of the Group of Least Developed Countries (LDCs), Dr. Lazarus Chakwera.

The meeting was held on the sidelines of the 5th United Nations Conference on the Least Developed Countries (LDC5) in Doha, Qatar, on Sunday.

The meeting saw President Solih praising the Malawian President for his role as the chair of the LDCs, his efforts in defending the interests of LDCs, and its priorities on various platforms.

President Chakwera also expressed pleasure at meeting President Solih and his attendance at the summit.

Additionally, President Solih also spoke about the Maldives' journey from being one of the least developed countries to upper-middle income country status. As such, he noted the country's challenges and hardships, particularly during the worst days of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Referring to the Maldives' experience, the President stressed the significance of advocating for and securing smooth transition procedures for those graduating, including fairer graduation assessments. 

During the meeting, the two Presidents discussed ways to strengthen bilateral ties. As such, discussions were held on increasing trade between the two countries to expand economic cooperation and enhance people-to-people contact.

They also discussed ways to strengthen cooperation in the field of tourism.

Furthermore, the President noted that the Maldives and Malawi share common concerns in the international arena. He then assured that the Maldives would join Malawi in advocating for sustainable development, poverty eradication, and climate change in international forums.

The Maldives and Malawi established diplomatic relations on September 24, 2022.