President Muizzu concludes official visit to Turkey, UAE

President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu has concluded his official visit to the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The Maldivian leader returned home on Sunday afternoon, after wrapping up his first official visits since assuming office on November 17, to Turkey and the middle east.

The president’s visit to Türkiye came upon the invitation of President of the Republic of Türkiye Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

The visit saw both leaders engaging in official talks to enhance bilateral relations between the Maldives and Türkiye.

President Muizzu and the Turkish president discussed new areas for cooperation such as trade, investment, renewable energy and higher education among others.

The Maldivian president also met other senior officials of Türkiye, including the Vice President and the Speaker of the Grand National Assembly.

His next destination was Dubai, UAE where he attended the 28th Session of the Conference of the Parties of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP28) and engaged in high-level deliberations with world leaders regarding climate change.

The president also delivered the National Statement at the High-level Segment of the COP28 and shed light on the government’s expectations for COP28.

President Muizzu shed light on the importance of the Global Stocktake committing to a strategy that corrects the course towards a 1.5-degree trajectory in accordance with the Paris Agreement.

Further, he pledged commitment to develop renewable energy systems capable of providing 33 percent of the nation's electrical needs within the next five years and announced a national drive to plant five million trees across the island nation.

He was accompanied by his spouse, First Lady Sajidha Mohamed and a high-level Maldivian delegation including senior government officials during the visit to Turkey. The high-level delegation of senior government officials joined him on his trip to UAE as well.