Saudi Arabia issues travel warning on Maldives, after Minister’s visit

Saudi Arabia issued a travel warning on Maldives, following Fisheries Minister Dr Mohamed Shainee’s visit to the gulf kingdom.

Saudi Arabia issued the warning before Minister Shainee stepped out of his returning flight.

Minister Shainee travelled to Saudi Arabia on Thursday as an envoy of President Abdulla Yameen, to meet the kingdom’s senior government officials and discuss the situation in Maldives.

At a ceremony on Friday night, President Yameen boasted of the government’s close ties with Saudi Arabia, which had not issued any travel warning until Minister Shainee’s visit.

Saudi Arabia advised its travelers to be on alert when going to Maldives, and to immediately contact its embassy if any problem occurs.

However, Minister Shainee tweeted that he had returned after a ‘successful’ trip, and that the results of which will soon be seen.

Some have criticized Minister Shainee, and claimed that Saudi Arabia was unaware of the political unrest in Maldives until his visit.