President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has returned home after concluding his official visit to Qatar and Germany.

Numerous high-level bilateral meetings and international activities marked the President's successful visit to both nations.

President Solih departed on the trip on 04 March, 2023.

In the first leg of his tour, President Solih visited Qatar.

During his visit to Qatar, the President attended the 5th United Nations Conference on the Least Developed Countries (LDC5) in Doha. He attended the opening plenary session of LDC5 held on 05 March 2023.

On 06 March 2023, President Solih delivered his statement at the conference. In his statement, the President stressed on the significance of supporting the countries graduating from the list of least-developed countries (LDCs) to middle-income status and cited the numerous challenges posed to the Maldives during its endeavor to alleviate poverty and underdevelopment.

In his speech, President Solih stated that the graduation process makes scant regard for Small Island Developing States' (SIDS) underlying vulnerabilities despite improving their overall economic performance. The President added that the Maldives had to expend great effort to ensure that some benefits and special considerations were intact.

He also described the vulnerabilities as a result of geographic size, scattered-ness, susceptibility to climate change, lack of economic diversification, inadequate access to development finance, and geopolitical shocks.

President Solih stated that LDCs and SIDS are also disproportionately affected by climate change, with limited access to adequate, sustainable, and predictable finance to take action to adapt to a changing climate, reduce emissions, and strengthen resilience to climate change impacts.

He then called on the developed world to fulfil their obligations in delivering on the collective finance goal of $100 billion per year and fast-track the establishment of the Loss and Damage fund as agreed at the COP27 summit.

The President also called upon the LDCs to build resilience through good governance and achieve sustainable development with the equal and meaningful participation of women and girls in all facets of life.

During his visit to Qatar, the President also met with the Secretary-General of the United Nations António Guterres.

The meeting took place at the Qatar National Convention Centre (QNCC) in Doha, Qatar.

At the meeting, the President and the Secretary-General had lengthy talks about the United Nations' involvement in assisting the Maldives' growth through its different aid organizations working in the Maldives. As such, the President emphasized that the United Nations continues to be an instrumental partner in the Maldives’ trajectory to increased growth over the years.

President Solih noted that the UN plays an essential role in assisting key government agencies to improve their abilities to deliver the Maldives’ objective in accordance with Agenda 30.

Furthermore, the President and the Secretary-General discussed ways to improve collaboration between relevant UN organizations and public sector groups in order to better serve the people, including looking into investments to close existing infrastructure gaps in order to boost tourism, increase resilience to climate change, and achieve the SDGs.

They also discussed exploring other sustainable trade and fisheries avenues to reduce over-dependency in one economic sector.

President Solih also met with the President of the State of Palestine, Dr. Mahmoud Abbas, on the sidelines of the 5th United Nations Conference on the Least Developed Countries.

At the meeting, the Maldivian President reaffirmed the strong support and unwavering commitment of the government and the people of the Maldives to the people and the government of the State of Palestine in their quest to achieve their legitimate right to self-determination.

As such, President Solih repeatedly affirmed the Maldives' commitment to advocate for the rights of the Palestinian people in their quest for recognition and dignity and promote their cause.

The Palestinian President conveyed his gratitude to President Solih, the government, and the people of the Maldives for the support extended to Palestine and its people.

The leaders also discussed shared values and strong cultural ties between Maldives and Palestine.

The President also met with the President of the Democratic Republic of Timor-Lest, Dr. José Ramos-Horta.

During the meeting, both the Presidents discussed issues of mutual interest, both regional and international.

They also agreed to work together to achieve common goals.

The two leaders also highlighted the vibrant relations between the two nations.

Furthermore, both leaders reaffirmed their commitment to working together in matters of mutual interest and their dedication to further strengthening diplomatic relations between the two nations.

The visit also saw President Solih meeting with the President of the Republic of Serbia, Aleksandar Vučić.

At the meeting, President Solih and President Vučić held extensive discussions on strengthening bilateral relations between the two countries.

Additionally, both leaders spoke about strengthening cooperation in areas of mutual interest and explored new avenues for further collaboration.

President Solih and President Vučić also discussed agreements between the two countries and recognized the need to proceed with them.

They concluded the meeting in the hopes of rekindling friendship and cross-sector cooperation.

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

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.

After concluding his visit to Qatar, the President visited Germany. First Lady Fazna Ahmed joined him on his trip to Germany.

During his visit to Germany, the President, accompanied by the First Lady, visited the Internationale Tourismus-Börse (ITB) Berlin 2023 at Messe Berlin, Germany.

During the visit, the President and the First Lady toured the Maldives’ stand at the fair, featuring the unique qualities of Maldivian hospitality and the variety of services and experiences it offers.

MMPRC presented President Solih with a miniature model of the stand during his visit.

The First Couple also toured the Cecilienhof Palace in Brandenburg.

Furthermore, President Solih met with the President of the Federal Republic of Germany Frank-Walter Steinmeier, during his visit to Germany.

The meeting was held at the Office of the Federal President in Berlin, Germany, on 10 March, 2023.

Discussions at the meeting focused on strengthening Maldives-Germany bilateral relations. They were also focused on enhancing cooperation in areas of mutual interest.

Speaking at the meeting, President Solih praised Germany’s leadership in the European Union (E.U.).

The President explored avenues for support for the Maldives in negotiating tariff rates for Maldivian fish exports and easing visa facilitations for Maldivian travelers.

Furthermore, both leaders expressed interest in expanding collaboration in climate change, renewable energy opportunities, aviation, and transport.

The two Presidents concluded their meeting by reiterating their commitment to continue working together in areas of mutual interest and for the common good of the people of both countries.

President Solih also met with the Honorary Consul General Christian von Stetten and the Honorary Consul of the Maldives in Germany Andreas Peter Witte.

During the meeting, President Solih extended his appreciation to Stetten and Witte for their efforts to promote the Maldives and foster diplomatic connections between the two countries.

Additionally, discussions were held on ways to strengthen relations between the two countries further.

As such, expressing eagerness to explore possible opportunities to increase trade and investments between the two countries, President Solih requested Stetten and Witte lobby through their connections to waive the 24 percent tariff imposed on Maldivian fisheries exports.

President Solih, the Honorary Consul General and the Honorary Consul of the Maldives in Germany concluded their meeting by reaffirming their commitment to continue working together for the common welfare of the citizens of both countries.

President Solih returned to Maldives after concluding his visit on 12 March, 2023.